Footpath Trading Policy
Strathbogie Shire Council has a Footpath Trading Policy to ensure that shop traders, café and restaurant owners provide a safe and accessible trading environment where trading is undertaken on a footpath. Recently there have been problems with people not obtaining Footpath Trading Permits prior to conducting their business, causing obstructions on the footpath and trading in the wrong spot.
The Mayor of Strathbogie Shire Council, Howard Myers said, "Council is committed to ensure traders and the general public enjoy the benefit of footpath trading without exposing the community to physical risk either from pedestrian or vehicular traffic."
Council has been monitoring the Footpath Trading procedures and wants to work with traders to ensure footpath trading provides a safe environment through:
o Consultation with existing and potential footpath traders
o An effective permit system that considers safety & accessibility
o Implementing risk management practices including process review to minimise risk to the community and continually improve Councils processes.
Council issues temporary permits for: raffles, information stalls and general sales on the footpath. These are only valid for the date/s specified. The applicant must have this temporary permit on hand on the day to show an authorised officer on request. A copy of their public liability insurance is also required prior to the issue of the temporary permit.
How do I get a permit?
If someone comes in as a customer enquiry the details are collected by a Customer Service Officer or Compliance officer. A copy of the Footpath Trading Policy is given to the applicant in person or by email.
The applicant is required to fill in as much detail as possible and return it to the Compliance department. Once the application is received a site inspection will be carried out to determine if it is possible to comply with the footpath trading policy. A minimum of 1.8m is required from the building line to the Trading Zone. This distance is to ensure that visually impaired people can walk along building line without trip hazards in the way.
Application MUST be supported with a detailed plan of location of fixed barrier screens and numbers of tables/chairs.
Public liability must be provided at time of application.
Mayor of Strathbogie Shire Council, Howard Myers
Upon satisfactory compliance with FTP the applicant will be required to pay a Local Laws permit fee and a permit will be issued.
All footpath trading must comply with the FTP at all times and traders are responsible to ensure that outdoor trading area is kept clean, Tables and chairs are to be kept in an orderly manner in compliance with the detailed plan on the application.
All permits expire annually and council reserves the right to cancel permits for non Compliance.
The importance of ensuring compliance with the Footpath Trading Policy is clear if we look at it from a disability viewpoint.
The Disability Discrimination act 1992 requires that there be where possible clear passage and access to local shops.
This ensures that people who use a wheelchair are able to easily access their local businesses.
For people who are blind or have low vision; being able to navigate their way along a shop or building front is necessary for them to be able to travel safely along the street.
It is very important that shop fronts and doorways are kept clear of display bays and tables, tables and chairs, signage, pot plants, temporary goods for sale etc for this purpose - this also includes the parking of scooters along shop fronts or blocking access to shop doorways.
Let's make sure our community is accessible to everyone.
For more information: Marli Kelly 0409 410 178