It is clear from a number of emails received that there remains a great deal of interest in the issue of pedlars and unlawful street trading. Several authorities have been in contact with messages of support and evidence of the problem in their areas. We will be pursuing this matter in two ways over the next few months. Firstly we have a meeting of the All Party Parliamentay Group on Markets in late November and we will be reporting on the current situation to that meeting and seeking a fresh mandate to approach ministers with a view to a change in the general law. In this context it is vitally important that all authorities involved in this issue seek as much evidence as possible, particularly over the Christmas period, to help the campaign. Secondly on the subject of local legislation we will be convening a meeting of interested authorities early in 2007 to determine whether there is scope for co-ordinated action in 2007.Against the background of the local legislation enacted by Liverpool, Leicester and Maidstone in 2006 there is clearly scope for legislation at local level and there are also benefits in terms of cost sharing.Further information will be issued as developments arise.

Graham Wilson,
Chief Executive,
NABMA.