Market traders hit out at changes to stall fees

Under current rules stall rent fees are waived for permanent traders if they have a serious or long-term illness. But traders say the council is proposing charges are waived only when someone is off sick for six continuous weeks.

Stallholders are now calling for a rethink and are urging the council to consider a new policy. They want fees to be waived when someone has a doctor's note, regardless of how long they are off sick for.

They held a protest in the market place yesterday and have launched a petition to gather support for their campaign.

Chairman of Dudley Market Traders Association Len Lenihan said some of the traders had been seriously ill with heart attacks and cancer treatment but still had to pay for their pitches. Under the rules, a stallholder needs to pay 80 per cent of the rent if they do not turn up due to illness.

Mr Lenihan said: "We think the council needs to move with the times and have a more sensitive approach. In some cases the council doesn't lose out as there will be casual traders who will rent the pitch while someone is off sick." No-one at Dudley Council was available to comment.