Agenda and minutes

County Councillors P. Pavia, M. Feakins and A. Webb.

None.

The Committee were joined by members of the public wishing to speak on the Street Furniture Policy.

Mr Philip Boyer – Representing Save our Seats & Management of Kings Arms, Abergavenny

Mr Boyer welcomed charge removal, but raised concerns on the document;

St John’s Square is sizeable. Tables and chairs on the Square make it a very busy social scene and felt this should continue. There haven’t been complaints to date and there is ample room for access for disabled, no traffic incidents.

It is a shared space, but other there are other means to address traffic concerns. It is not broken, so don’t try to mend it. Only issue is the legal situation, who would be responsible for accidents should they occur. But given there isn’t a problem we don’t want to lose any of the space. It’s arbitrary and you would have to apply for more.

People to keep the space they have and not have to apply for more unless they want more. Let people keep what they have.

David Farnsworth

Cannot understand the rationale to penalise traders. We need to become a creator of places and have vision. Second lesson is communication – MCC needs to rethink its relationship with community participation. Please stop producing hundreds of pages of policy documents that people don’t understand.

How do we even find about what the Council is discussing, the MCC website is hard to navigate and it is virtually impossible to find the information you require.

Anthea Dewhurst

After research this issue dates back to 1419, historical law, problems are identical and unresolved. Each town is different and could make its own solutions.

Currently there is room if people comply with the rules for disability scooters, but accidents do happen in Monmouth with particularly sighted people with random A-boards, but the people who comply are not causing the problem.

It is felt we can improve rather than become rigid in the place of challenge. When the measurements are agreed, it was asked if this could this be self-managing so that MCC has a reduced burden ~ a team of volunteers, perhaps with a visually impaired representative and a town council representative from Monmouth.  Church Street could be full of character with hanging signs, other ideas on this.

Lucy Howell, Y-Fenni Business Community

This affects a considerable number of businesses in Abergavenny who are facing a battle and the introduction of the policy is another knock.

The festivals allow independents to trade without adhering to policy. We understand the legal obligation for MCC and we accept some form of licence but there’s no reason the Council cannot work with the community. We feel that we managed before the introduction of the policy. We believe people should have to apply for a licence and conform to points A-G on the policy regarding health and safety, but we do not agree with the charge. We believe businesses should need to apply for 18 square metres or above and to be subject to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Context

After extensive consultation with members, local councils, chambers of commerce and community groups such as CAIR and visually impaired, in January 2018 the Cabinet approved a new policy to manage obstructions in the highway. As a result of the consultation exercise and scrutiny by this select committee Cabinet approved the withdrawal of any charge for the display of A boards and reduced the charge to businesses for the use of tables, chairs and displays in the public highway.

The policy is being implemented throughout the county but opposition from the business community to some aspects of the policy has been encountered. This includes:

·         From businesses seeking to occupy an area of the public highway greater than the maximum18 sq metres allowed in the existing policy.

·         From businesses complaining that the charge for displays is unreasonable particularly for small businesses and at a time when the retail industry is under increasing financial pressure.

·         That the policy of permitting individual businesses to display A boards, displays, tables and chairs etc. should be withdrawn completely and a ‘common sense’ approach  be adopted.

This report summarises the background to the opposition and asks members to consider what amendments to the existing policy they would wish to recommend to Cabinet.

Key Issues

In September 2017 the Strong Communities Select Committee received a report proposing that the policy for obstructions in the highway be amended and in particular that the charges be reviewed to reflect the Council’s acknowledgement of increased financial burden upon businesses arising from the increase in business rates.

The recommendations from the Select Committee subsequently went to the Cabinet meeting in January 2018 at which it was approved that charges for A boards be withdrawn and proposed charges for displays, tables, chairs be halved with a further review of the policy in twelve months’ time.

Below is a link to the January 2018 Cabinet meeting with agenda, reports and

The policy has initially been introduced in the South of the county with some adverse comments but with permits being agreed with various businesses.

However when the scheme was introduced in Abergavenny representation was made by members and directly by businesses.

In the first instance representation was to relax the policy to allow businesses to occupy an area greater than 18 sq metres. This was particularly in relation to St John’s Square, Abergavenny.

The square is a relatively large public open space where members of the public have enjoyed food and drink for many years. Currently at least one business has placed tables and chairs on an area larger than 18 square metres so strict adherence to the new policy would require that some of the tables and chairs be removed.

Representation suggests that removing the chairs and tables would be to the detriment of the general ambience prevalent in the square so officers have examined how the policy might be amended to accommodate businesses occupying an area greater than 18 square metres.

The recommendations below are a simple extension of the existing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.