Arklow traders to suffer extra costs

Thats ridiculous! That will end up driving more businesses away from Arklow!

You've got to wonder what class of an inbred moron comes up with the idea to enforce this law in the current situation that Arklow town finds itself.

This whole issue was handled disgracefully, if I had have got a letter this morning from the council saying, we are aware you have a sign outside advertising your business unfortunately planning is needed for a footpath appliance or apparatus so we would like you to apply for planning, there will be guidelines in place for the size and area you can place the sign and the annual fee will be xyz etc etc. Three simple rules for signage that every business adheres to would solve the issue instantly 1. The sign has to be a set size 2. It can be of no obstruction to traffic, pedestrians or wheelchair users and 3. You have ample space outside your premises for a sign. Instead I got firstly in BOLD CAPS THE DETAILS OF PLANNING DEVELOPMENT ACT 2000 SECTION 254 "you have placed items on the footpath in order to advertise your business" "It is in breach of section 254 of the planning development act to position items without permission" "please apply for a licence or remove the appliance/apparatus immediately", furthermore it indicated no information about the cost which once investigated withing the planning text is annually €630, which the town council wanted back dated for the past year. There is also constant spelling mistakes throughout the letter, the whole thing stinks and causes further disdain towards Arklow Town Council from the business community who are already unhappy with them. There is far more important things Arklow Town Council could be doing than this when Arklows economic centre is struggling as much as it is. This whole issue has been handled very badly by Arklow Town Council, they should have put more thought into it and acted in a completely different manner if it is such an important issue to them.

Paul, you forgot to add that the very same Council, if successful with squeezing this added tax from already overstretched purses of local traders, will be seeking the very same amount within the next four months to cover period January 2013 through to December 2013. Worst case scenario? A tidy €1260 from EVERY compliant trader!!! Nice money if you can get it, eh..... Furthermore, I have yet to receive confirmation from anyone that this planning permission licence covers ALL advertising placed outside. I have, in the darker recesses of my addled brain, a nagging doubt that is bangin' away saying this licence covers ONE ITEM, and ONE ITEM ALONE. Therefore, if true (and I hope to God not!!!!), that traders like myself would therefore be liable to pay this farcical plucked from the ether licence fee for EVERY item of advertising I place outside my premise. Sorry folks, I'm going to have to make the nicest 99's in Arklow a tad smaller in order to cover excessive taxation from local authority!!!!!!! :-)