This week, Cabinet members will be asked to approve the new Street Trading Policy. Street Trading means the selling, exposing, or offering for sale of any article in a street. The term ’street’ includes any road, footway, or other area to which the public has access without payment (this can include private land).

Following a thorough public consultation process, this policy aims to enhance the borough’s high streets, making them more attractive and vibrant places to live, work, and conduct business. A public consultation was held in February to gather residents, communities, traders, and, businesses' views. We have also engaged with partners from the Highways Authority, National Highways, and South Yorkshire Police.

The new Street Trading Policy will provide a consistent and transparent approach when providing street trading consent. It will help to prevent obstruction on the highway and ensure that the public and traders are safe. It will help to make sure we are offering diverse consumer choices and are meeting the needs of residents.

This policy allows applicants to receive an early indication as to whether their application is likely to be successful or not and provides prospective applicants with details of what is expected of them should consent be granted. The policy will cover street trading across the whole borough including trading at events, selling food, mobile and static street trading, and fees and charges.

The policy outlines new rules for trading outside schools; mobile traders, such as ice cream vans,  must not stop within 100 meters of any school, measured from the main entrance to the school grounds, during the school day from an hour before and an hour after without the written consent of the school.

If approved by Full Council on Tuesday 25 July, this policy will be implemented in the Town Centre in September and borough-wide from March 2025.

Kathy McArdle, Service Director for Regeneration and Culture said: "The new Street Trading Policy will bring in numerous benefits to our community.

“By establishing a clear and consistent framework for street trading, we are making sure that our high streets remain safe, organised, and vibrant.

“This policy supports local independent businesses and traders by providing them with more opportunities to thrive, thereby boosting the local economy.

“This policy marks another significant step towards making Barnsley a more dynamic and appealing place to live, work, and visit."