Agenda item

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Environment, Health and Consumer Protection which asked the Committee to consider the proposal to change the designation of several streets in Stanley from ‘prohibited’ to ‘consent streets’ to allow for street trading at those locations subject to legal and policy controls (for copy of report, see file of minutes).

The report gave details of the agreed process for receipt of requests to designate and re-designate streets within the County. As part of the process consultation was carried out with relevant and responsible authorities. The responses were included in Appendix 4 and were summarised in the report. Two responses were received from Durham Constabulary Police Traffic Management and Jackie Donnelley Principal Projects Officer. No responses were received from the statutory advertisement on the proposals.

Durham Constabulary had concerns in relation to public safety and traffic management, but this could be addressed by traffic management and road safety measures.

Jackie Donnelly did not support the changes for May Street and Ritson Street and asked that these roads remain prohibited.

Mr Rudman, the Licensing Manager presented the report and provided Members with some maps of the area and advised that this application was not part of an event so trading could potentially take place every day.

Members discussed the request.

In response to a question, the Licensing Manager advised members that markets were exempt from street trading.

Councillor Tucker referred to the objections received from Durham Constabulary and the Principal Projects Officer and asked if these objections had been factored into the request.

The Licensing Manager confirmed that the objections had been considered and May Street and Ritson Street had raised issues due to future developments. If in the future these streets were not suitable for street trading, then the application for street trading would be refused. Members could consider keeping these streets as prohibited.

The Licensing Manager then asked Members if they wished to treat Stanley the same as Durham and Barnard Castle and allow the re-designation for events.

Members discussed the restriction and agreed that as Stanley was not an historic town there was no requirement to have any restrictions.

Following consideration of the proposal and consultee responses it was

Resolved: The Committee supports the proposals made by Stanley Town Council and made a resolution, to be advertised in the local newspaper, announcing the decision and setting the date on which the new or altered designation would come into effect. This date not to be less than one month from the date of the advertised resolution.