Issue - meetings

Report No: EXC/SA/19/003

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members: Susan Glossop and Lance Stanbury

Lead Officer: David Collinson

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the harmonised interim Street Trading and Vending Policy for West Suffolk Council, as contained in Appendix A to Report No: EXC/SA/19/003, be adopted; and

(2)     it be agreed that the West Suffolk Council reviews the Street Trading and Vending policy within two years to ensure there is a consistent approach to consent areas across West Suffolk.

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) considered the above report, which sought approval for an interim Street Trading and Vending Policy for West Suffolk Council.

Members noted the background to street trading (selling goods on the street) and vending (serving at tables and chairs on the public highway) and the need to have a street trading and vending policy in place to ensure such definable activities could be appropriately licensed by the licensing authority (the Council.)

Forest Heath District Council (FHDC) and St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC) recognised the importance of street trading and vending and valued the contributions of businesses that sought licences for such activities to the local economy.

The Street Vending and Trading Policy was one of a number of policies that were being reviewed and harmonised in advance of the creation of West Suffolk Council on 1 April 2019. 

Councillor Lance Stanbury, Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Member with the responsibility for Planning and Growth, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Executive, including that differences in the policies covering street trading and vending presently existed between the two policies covering FHDC and SEBC.  The new interim policy for the West Suffolk Council, as attached as Appendix A to the report which had been subject to consultation, was considered to adequately align these differences where they were minor and could be changed without significant impact. 

Members agreed this was a sensible approach and also considered it pragmatic to retain the different approaches that currently applied in the different geographical areas so as to minimise disruption until a more fundamental review could be undertaken by the new Council within two years, as summarised in Section 1.3 of the report.

RESOLVED:

That:

(1)     the harmonised interim Street Trading and Vending Policy for West Suffolk Council, as contained in Appendix A to Report No: EXC/SA/19/003, be adopted; and

(2)     it be agreed that the West Suffolk Council reviews the Street Trading and Vending policy within two years to ensure there is a consistent approach to consent areas across West Suffolk.