The Licensing Committee of Croydon Council met on Tuesday, 16 July 2024, to discuss street trading and pavement licensing. The committee approved the designation of a site for street trading and granted a licence for this purpose. They also agreed to delegate authority for the implementation and operation of permanent pavement licensing arrangements and set the duration and fees for these licences.

Street Designation Order and Street Trading Licence

The committee considered an application for a street designation order and a subsequent street trading licence for a site outside 30 High Street, Thornton Heath, CR7 8LE. The application sought a trading area of specific dimensions for the sale of fruit and vegetables, with proposed trading hours from 9 am to 9 pm, Monday to Sunday.

The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing explained that before an annual street trading licence could be issued, the site needed to be designated. The proposed trading area measurements were confirmed to allow for the required pedestrian clearance. While the site fell within the council's saturation policy for street trading, no objections had been received from the public, police, or other council departments. The applicant, Mr Ziaullah Khan Niazi, stated that his business had doubled since he began using the outdoor display and that his shop was unique in selling only fruit and vegetables.

The committee resolved to designate the site for street trading and to grant a street trading licence to Mr Niazi.

Pavement Licensing

The committee discussed the permanent pavement licensing arrangements following amendments to the Business and Planning Act 2020 via The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023.

The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing explained that these new provisions made pavement licensing permanent, replacing the temporary arrangements that were due to expire in September 2024. The permanent provisions include increased fee caps for new and renewal licence applications, extended consultation and determination periods, and new enforcement powers.

The committee was asked to delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery, to manage these arrangements. They were also asked to set the duration of a pavement licence at one year and to establish fees of £500 for new applications and £350 for renewals. It was noted that these fees would not fully cover the council's administrative costs.

Members discussed the implications of the fee increases, with the Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing explaining that the previous £100 fee was insufficient to cover costs. The decision to set the fees at the maximum allowed by government guidance was made to ensure the service was more cost-neutral. The committee also agreed to a one-year licence duration to allow for greater oversight and to facilitate regular reviews of costs and compliance.

The committee resolved to:

• Delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery, to implement and operate the permanent pavement licensing arrangements.
• Set the duration of a Pavement Licence at one year and establish the fee for a new pavement licence at £500 and for a renewal at £350.