Birmingham City Council considers crackdown on street trading and charity collectors

National World - LocalTV

Birmingham City Council is considering a Public Space Protection Order to tackle illegal street trading and aggressive charity collecting in the city centre. The proposed measures would restrict unauthorised selling, peddling, and fundraising, aiming to reduce what the council calls an ‘environment of harassment’. A public consultation on the plans is open until April 30.

Transcript

00:00Visitors to Birmingham City Centre are used to seeing triders, street performers and charity

00:06collectors along busy shopping streets. But the council says some of these activities

00:11have created an intimidating atmosphere for shoppers, workers and visitors. It proposes

00:16a Public Spice Protection Order, or PSPO, to tackle what it calls anti-social behaviour.

00:22If approved, the order would give enforcement teams more power to stop unlicensed street

00:27trading, peddling and charity fundraising in areas like New Street. The council says

00:32complaints have increased about illegal traders selling goods from trolleys or setting up

00:37makeshift stalls. Some services like Punch the Bag or Lift the Weight challenges have

00:42also been flagged for blocking pedestrian areas and attracting large crowds. There are

00:47also concerns about aggressive charity collections. Under the new rules, anyone asking for cash

00:53or digital donations without permission from the council could be stopped. However, charities,

00:58religious groups and political campaigners would still be allowed to operate, as long

01:02as they don't cause obstructions or pressure passers-by. The Retail Business Improvement

01:08District say some street sellers are harassing shoppers, particularly those selling perfumes

01:13and aftershaves from bags. The council says some of its own officers have faced abuse

01:18when trying to clamp down on illegal traders. Supporters of the proposals say the new rules

01:23could make the city centre a more cipher and welcoming place, but there are questions about

01:28how the PSPO would be enforced and whether it could impact legitimate traders. If approved,

01:34the order would be in place for three years. A public consultation on the plans is open

01:39until April 30th, giving people the chance to have their say.

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