Monmouth County Council's proposals to charge for A-boards have drawn opposition from the town's Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

Chairman of the Monmouth and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce David Cummings, said: "Beacon readers may remember that the Chamber informed local retailers about MCC's proposals to raise charges for the use of A boards on the public highway, way back in February of this year.

"As a result, many retailers wrote in to MCC voicing their opposition to the imposition of an initial charge and then a yearly licence fee. The Chamber still opposes the imposition of a charge.

"Despite maintaining a good relationship with MCC Highways on issues as diverse as road signage to car parks, I was not made aware of the 152 page report that was put before the Strong Communities Select Committee on 16th October.

"We had been informed that a report would be submitted on 6th November at the earliest. We are not aware of any consultation with Monmouth businesses by MCC in preparing this report, although it is evident that some Chepstow businesses have been consulted."

The report covers proposals for charging all manner of public highway furniture. Not only are A boards considered but also chairs, tables and advertising stands too, including those within MCC car parks.

David Cummings continued: "Firstly, let me say that the Chamber is sympathetic to the needs of MCC to balance their budget and also to the needs of disabled people in not encountering a hazard on the highways that might cause injury.

"Retailers have been informed by MCC on several occasions about the requirements concerning the distance an A board can be placed from the business premises and that an A board cannot be permitted where the pavement is too narrow.

"On page 35 it states that 'A board advertising, apart from being an illegal activity,' the Chamber is not aware that A boards have ever been illegal in general.

"Furthermore, MCC has previously chosen not to enforce regulations that an A board should be secured on all four sides or that there be a horizontal white line three inches in width across the A board to raise its profile for the visually impaired.

"If imposed on retailers, this may make existing A boards unusable and incur more costs for hard pressed retailers.

"A public survey on attitude to A boards has been conducted by MCC, but in a county with 89,000 people we question whether taking a sample of only 121 members of the public is statistically sufficient.