Review call over car boot sale hypocrisy
"HYPOCRITICAL" rules relating to unofficial car boot sales and markets should be reviewed, says a councillor.
Gavin Webb, pictured, decided to take action after learning of restrictions placed on a weekly sale at Abbey Hulton Primary School.
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Gavin Webb
Organisers of the market, which has been running for eight years, were recently reminded by Stoke-on-Trent City Council officials it is only licensed for 12 sales a year.
But Mr Webb said it is an "affront to common sense" that a community initiative which boosted school coffers by £100 a week should be restrained.
Tomorrow he will ask fellow councillors to think again about whether the authority's policy in dealing with non-council car boots is the right one.
Mr Webb said: "These people are doing something positive and are raising money for the school and empowering communities. We have got to see this as a good thing and encourage it."
A motion, to be considered by elected members at tomorrow's city council meeting, reads: "That this city council calls for a review of the city council policy to market franchise rights and how this policy is affecting the formation and operation of car boots and rival, non-council-operated markets."
Mr Webb said it is hypocritical for the city council to promote small business and enterprise with one hand while enforcing a "monopoly" in authority-led car boot sales with the other.
He added that a review was needed to liberalise the current market franchise system, which he has described as protectionist and restrictive towards non-authority set-ups. Mr Webb said he decided to take action after reading in The Sentinel about plans to limit the number of car boots at Abbey Hulton.
He added: "I find it really hypocritical the council says it wants to encourage small business at one moment, yet when anyone proposes change to introduce competition with the council then the mindset changes."
Councillor Mick Salih has seconded the motion.
He said: "The recession isn't going to go away in five minutes and we have got a lot of charities and voluntary groups that rely on these sales.
"When we make policies in the council we tend to think it is forever, but times change."
Councillor Adrian Knappersaid: "The city council's Market Franchise Rights has been strictly adhered to in order to preserve a valuable source of revenue for the good of the city.
"Car boot sales come under this category, and if they occur more than 12 times a year then they are classed as a market.
"In the case of Abbey Hulton Primary School, the number of sales was not cut, they were trading above 12 times a year and were contravening the rules."
3 Comments
by Rob, Abbey Hulton
Tuesday, May 12 2009, 12:03PM
“Car boot sales are a wonderful thing. Used to do them myself. However, more and more people are trading at car boot sales as apposed to selling off unwanted items out of the loft. I often visit the Abbey car boot to find people selling brand new items that have been purchased to be sold, this is trading. I own a shop in the Abbey and have to pay a lot in taxes to do so. Why should someone be allowed to sell similar items than myself yet the only cost to them is the entry fee. This might appear nit picky but the recent drop in sales has forced me to lay-off two staff and cut the hours of the others. So what is more important? Local traders and peoples' jobs or a weekly car boot?”
by Marion, Stoke
Wednesday, March 25 2009, 2:30PM
“Hold the front page.........car boots started off very small with one or two people deciding that they wanted to sell a few items out of their garages and attics to other folk. This brilliant idea by the odd few grew to the success it is today. I would say that you can't go around slapping policies and procedures on car boots because there simply are not any. I would Adrian (who I used to go to school with), to produce the actual policy which states in black and white that Car Boots are considered markets if there are more than 12 a year. Who said there was a policy anyway? When was it written? By whom was it written? How many member of the constituency were present at the time of the writing of these procedures? Car boots have been going on for a long time and well before any policy was adopted. This is a community improving their area, the council should not take this away from them. I've been to the car boots, they are well organised and there is a good atmosphere. Look at the facts not your policies or pockets. The council should fully support this initiative, not dowse it.”
by Marion, Stoke
Wednesday, March 25 2009, 2:27PM
“Hold the front page.........car boots started off very small with one or two people deciding that they wanted to sell a few items out of their garages and attics to other folk. This brilliant idea by the odd few grew to the success it is today. I would say that you can't go around slapping policies and procedures on car boots because there simply are not any. I would Adrian (who I used to go to school with), to produce the actual policy which states in black and white that Car Boots are considered markets if there are more than 12 a year. Who said there was a policy anyway? When was it written? By whom was it written? How many member of the constituency were present at the time of the writing of these procedures? Car boots have been going on for a long time and well before any policy was adopted. This is a community improving their area, the council should not take this away from them. I've been to the car boots, they are well organised and there is a good atmosphere. Look at the facts not your policies or pockets. The council should fully support this initiative, not dowse it.”