Attached is the report that last Monday's Brent Council
Executive rubber stamped. It would require anyone distributing free literature -
leaflets or newspapers - to apply for a licence (costing £175 and £75 to renew)
14 days in advance and then pay £65 per distributor per day or either £100 or
£110 according to which paragraph you read if leaflets are given out before 8.00
am or after 6.00 pm. Distributors would have to wear an ID badge obtained from
the Council and a hi-viz jacket provided by the 'promoter'. There are exemptions
for the distribution of printed matter:
(a) by or on behalf of a charity within the meaning of the Charities Act 1993, where the printed matter relates to or is intended for the benefit of the charity(b) where the distribution is for political purposes or for the purposes of religion or belief
Two Fightback supporters spoke at the executive but the points we raised and the questions we asked were ignored and brushed aside. Councillors insisted that the regulations were purely and simply designed to cut down on litter, but we believe that they could have dangerous implications for free speech and civil rights and that they are far from clear and transparent. This article from the Guardian spells out some of the adverse effects regulations like this have had when imposed by other councils:
See overview of the issue in the Guardian HERE
This pamphlet from the Manifesto Club spells them out
in even more detail HERE
We are asking the Council to spell out clearly whom the regulations
are intended to target - are they just aimed at commercial firms employing
people to give out large numbers of leaflets or free newspapers? If so, that
should be made clear in the regulations, if not there will be really harmful
effects for small businesses, arts organisations, community groups, jazz and
comedy clubs and others who only want to distribute small numbers of leaflets
and who could not possibly afford the massive fees proposed in these
regulations.
What is included in 'political purposes'? This
is the term used in the enabling legislation http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/16/part/3,
but it
is extremely ambiguous. It probably includes anti-war, anti-cuts and
anti-fascist campaigning and certainly includes leaflets given out by political
parties, but would it include leaflets supporting the Palestinian cause,
campaigns against library closures, privatisation or climate change, for
fairtrade, Friends of the Earth, support for striking
workers?
The exemptions
spelled out in the regulations as passed on Monday would not apply to
community groups organising say, coffee mornings, to parent teacher
associations advertising school concerts, to someone drawing attention to a
plant sale at the farmers' market, to a newly opened restaurant or hairdresser
letting people know that they are there, to a window cleaner setting up in
business, pop-up shops the organisers of art exhibitions, supplementary schools,
comedy clubs, music gigs ....... None of these could afford the licence fees, so
they would either be unable to advertise their events or be forced to defy the
regulations and risk prosecution.
It would also be very
unfair on the Council officers or police who will be expected to enforce
confusing regulations.
There are also
inconsistencies and mistakes in the drafting of these regulations, and an
assertion that there are no diversity or equality implications, which is
questionable - some minority groups will be prevented from advertising their
activities and their free newspapers will be banned.
We believe that
unless they are drastically revised and clarified, these regulations should be
opposed. We think ALL voluntary small scale literature distribution even if it
is not for charities, religious or political purposes, should be exempted from
the regulations or they should be dropped altogether.
If you are among
the groups that could be affected by the regulations as they stand PLEASE
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL COUNCILLORS OR ALL THE COUNCILLORS (their email addresses
are on the Council website www.brent.gov.uk/councillors .
The Kilburn and Brent
Times alerted us to the dangers posed by these regulations and will continue to
carry the story. We are grateful to them, but please spread the word to anyone
you know who is involved in groups or activities that could be affected. Come
along to the Brent Fightback meeting on Monday April 30th. If they persist in bringing these
regulations in unchanged, we need to launch objections but also to take united
action to challenge them.
