COUNCILLORS have agreed to charge more for businesses to display advertising boards in Lyme Regis after a move to ban them was defeated.

Members of Lyme Regis Town Council’s strategy and policy committee recommended to full council that businesses should be charged £120 a year to display advertising boards at Cobb Gate, at the bottom of Broad Street.

The cost will be increased from the current charge of £100 from April next year.

In a report to councillors, Lyme Regis Town Council’s finance officer Keith Wilson, said: “The charges have been constant since their introduction, at £100, inclusive of VAT.

“It is not proposed to increase rates in 2016/17.”

Cllr Richard Doney spoke out in support of allowing businesses to advertise in the prominent town centre location, and urged councillors not to raise the charge.

He said: “One of the things I wanted to do as a councillor is to support local businesses.

“For the amount of money this will raise, against the lack of goodwill – I just don’t see the point in raising it. I am definitely against raising it.”

Cllr Doney gained the support of Cllr Daryl Turner, who wanted the charges to remain £100 next year.

Cllr Turner said: “I believe the businesses should be advertised. I would be quite happy to see no increase.”

There are 21 boards on the Bell Cliff railings, by the Cobb Gate car park, which were introduced in 2014.

But other councillors at the meeting suggested the boards should be banned altogether – with Cllr John Broom describing them as ‘disgusting’.

Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Owen Lovell, said: “I have never liked the idea of the boards going in there.

“I’m not in favour of boards in that area.”

Councillors voted against banning the boards, but then agreed to increase the charge to £120.

Committee members also agreed to increase charges at the mini golf and table tennis area from April.

It will cost adults £3 and children £1.50, while discount for pre-booked groups of 10 or more will be reduced from 50 per cent to 25 per cent.