NABMA promoted an extremely well attended meeting last week in Birmingham to explore interests from various authorities in promoting Private Bills to address the problems in their town and city centres from pedlars and illegal street trading.

Pictured are representatives, together with the speaker Graham Wilson, the NABMA Chief Executive.

NABMA, together with the MIF and APPG, have campaigned for national legislation to address the problems that exist and have been well evidenced. Support has also been given from numerous national retailing, town centre and trading standards organisations together with the Police through ACPO.

It would now appear that many more authorities may be forced to look at local legislation to address the problem following the lead of Liverpool, Maidstone, Newcastle, Belfast and Leicester. The promotion of such legislation is proven to be expensive, onerous and must be locally funded.

The Birmingham meeting was advised of the Ten Minute Bill being promoted by Dr. Brian Iddon on the 21st February in the House of Commons, looking towards national legislation. All delegates agreed that such provision would be the preferred route as it is a national problem and would avoid huge local spend by authorities to individually address.

The Birmingham meeting heard experiences from authorities in terms of issues, enforcement, prosecutions and level of fines.

NABMA Chief Executive, Graham Wilson, outlined the NABMA position, initially bringing together councils with a common interest to create a forum for debate and offering facilitation in the shaping of local legislation. Graham Wilson stressed “that the ultimate policy stance of NABMA is to procure national legislation as clearly a national problem exists that would be best addressed by a national solution rather than expensive piecemeal local action.”

NABMA President, Councillor Don Davies Carmarthen, urged members to act on the opportunity arising from the Ten Minute Bill on the 21st February. “Please lobby your local MP and seek his or her support for the Bill. This is a national problem, extensively acknowledged and the campaign to bring action is widely supported. With another potential dozen local authorities considering local legislation, then the need for national legislation is all clear.”

NABMA will provide an update on events following the hearing of the Bill and facilitate another forum meeting near Easter and provide some good practice information.