'Uncoordinated or non-existent': Shropshire street advertising rules to be examined
Street advertising in Shropshire is governed by “uncoordinated or sometimes non-existent” policies, a report says.
Conflicting rules “contribute to tensions” and squander the potential of high streets, according to council scrutiny officer Daniel Webb.
Shropshire Council’s place overview committee has agreed to set up a "signs, boards and banners policy task and finish group" to understand the existing policies, suggest changes and look at ways to involve town and parish councils.
The 10-member committee will discuss terms of reference and a work programme for the group when it meets on Thursday.
In a report for members, Mr Webb writes: “In recent years, this committee has considered a number of related highways and street scene issues, namely: banners and other advertising items on the highway; A-boards on high streets; pavement permits and current licensing and charging arrangements for them, and; housing development signs.
“The committee notes that these closely-related issues were subject to assorted uncoordinated policies and, in some cases, no policy at all.
Tensions
“This has sometimes contributed to tensions between the different needs of people as they used highways and public space, and could miss opportunities to use these policies to make high streets better places to be.
“The committee also wanted to explore the best way to agree and administer policy. In particular, it wanted to look at whether it would be better for towns and parishes, where they wished to, to agree and administer their own policies for A-boards, banners and advertising on the highway.
“The committee agreed to also look at this within a task and finish group.”
Mr Webb recommends that the place overview committee agrees the draft terms of reference and work programme.
Contained in an appendix to the report, these say the group’s purpose will be to “understand existing policies, charges and administrative arrangements”, “identify opportunities to set and administer policy and licensing arrangements with town and parish councils” and “look at how other local authorities set and administer policy to identify potential ways to improve arrangements in Shropshire”.
