To:                              General Purposes Licensing Committee

Date:                          27^th January 2015                                           Item No:  

Report of:                 Head of Environmental Development

Title of Report:        Review of the Street Trading Policy and Policy Consultation Responses

Summary and Recommendations

Purpose of report:To report to Committee on the responses to the public consultation on the Street Trading Policy review 2014.  To seek Committee’s agreement to the revised Street Trading Policy and to recommend the revised Policy to Council. 

Report Approved by:

Finance:  Paul Swaffield

Legal:  Daniel Smith

Policy Framework: A vibrant and sustainable economy

                                    Street Trading Policy 2010

Recommendations:

Committee is recommended to:

i) approve the draft revised Street Trading Policy and recommend it to Council.  

Introduction

1. The current Street Trading Policy was approved by the General

Purposes Licensing Committee at its meeting on 8th February 2010 and

adopted by Council on 19th April 2010. At its meeting on 19th April 2010

Council delegated subsequent revisions of the Policy to the General

Purposes Licensing Committee.

2. At its meeting on 10^th June 2014, General Purposes Licensing Committee received a report on the Street Trading Policy review 2014.  Committee resolved to carry out public consultation on a revised Street Trading Policy.  This report summarises the responses to the consultation and gives comments from officers.

Consultation

3. The Council has completed an eight week consultation on the review of its Street Trading Policy and General Conditions.  The consultees included the following:

· Thames Valley Police

· Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

· Oxfordshire County Council Highways

· Central, South and West Area Committee

· Oxford City Centre Manager

· Nightsafe

· Oxford Covered Market traders

· Gloucester Green Market traders

· All current Consent Holders

· The general public

· Relevant departments within Oxford City Council

4. 58 people responded to the consultation document. The responses were generally positive and in support of all the proposed changes.

5. Copies of the comments received are provided at Appendix A.

6. A copy of the draft Street Trading Policy and conditions is provided in Appendix B. A copy of the current Street Trading Policy is provided in Appendix C.

7. Members are asked to review the comments made during the consultation period and consider any additional amendments to the policy.

Legal Implications

8. There is no legal requirement for a district council to set any policy on Street Trading. However, authorities may if they wish decide to set policies in order to guide applicants and assist in consistent decision making. Policies may guide but not bind the authority.

Financial Implications

9. There are no financial implications attached to this report.

Recommendations

10. Committee is recommended to:

i)    approve the draft revised Street Trading Policy; and

ii) recommend the revised Policy to Council .

Name and contact details of author:     Samantha Howell

                                                                        Licensing Officer

                                                                        (01865) 252558

                                                                         sjhowell@oxford.gov.uk

Background papers:

Appendix A – Copy of responses to the consultation

Appendix B – Copy of the proposed Street Trading Policy

Appendix C – Copy of the Current Street Trading Policy

Version: 2