Agenda item - Amendment to Street Trading Policy

Report of the Head of Planning and Public Protection (copy attached)

10.1    The Committee considered a report of the Head of Planning and Public Protection seeking amendment to the council’s existing street trading policy.

10.2    The Head of Regulatory Services, Mr Nichols explained that the Brighton & Hove City Council street trading policy had been introduced on 2 April 1998 and that subsequently on 26 November 2009, a revised street trading policy had been adopted. St the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 23 June 2011 that policy had been confirmed by Committee as being current with the addition of guidelines for relevant convictions and further issue zone b trading consents. Officers had recently received a request from a farmers market operating in central Brighton which would require a change to the current policy.

10.3    Councillor Lepper enquired regarding the level of fees payable stating that these should be set at a level that was such that they should cover the level of costs that arose for the service. Mr Nichols explained that there were three options available to organisers/traders and that they were able to opt for the one that was most economical for them.

10.4    Councillor C Theobald requested clarification regarding the location of the market as she thought that this was in a potentially dangerous spot. Mr Nichols explained that the market took place in the redundant bus lane which ran parallel to the Royal Pavilion and which was now closed to traffic.

10.5    Councillor Deane stated that she was in  agreement  that the  Farmers  Market  should  pay  a  level of  fees relative to the service  they  received, the Council should seek to cover its costs. In the case of the market located in George Street, Hove she was of the view that this had the potential to develop further as it had also attracted street. artists and had a positive ambience

10.6         Councillor Robins stated that a similar Market had operated on the Western Lawns at Hove in the past.

10.7    RESOLVED – (1) That subject to designation as a Consent Street, the Committee agrees that street trading in Memorial Way will be restricted for use as a farmers market;

            (2) That Members confirm that consent fees will be payable for this farmers market, subject to designation; and

            (3) That the Committee endorses the minor amendment to the policy which has arisen since June 2011, that is the granting of consents for street artists in George Street, Hove.