Islington Labour have been working alongside the government to ensure that our highstreets are thriving and promote healthier, more vibrant communities. This means the local council and residents getting more say on what their highstreets look like.
Recently Islington Labour have launched a new scheme trialling new High Street Rental Auction powers to open a new lease in shopfronts that have been closed for a long period of time. This will allow the council to step in and “auction off” the property to another business that may want to open in the area. The new business will have to provide a social value to the area in question and is hoped to breathe a new life back into local high streets.
Islington Labour have been campaigning extensively for the government to scrap the ‘aim to permit’ principle for gambling licenses. This principle currently restricts the ability for a council to reject a license for a new gambling premise and removes local councillors and residents from having a real say in their high streets. Today the government has announced that it intends to revoke the 2005 Gambling Act’s “aim to permit” rule. Ministers will consult on scrapping the rule so that councils can respond where there are strong local concerns about too many premises clustering on their high streets.
In the new year, new planning rules will mean vape shops and adult gaming centres need planning permission before opening, giving local people and councils a say over whether they are right for their area. Councils like Islington will also have stronger powers to stop vape shops opening in inappropriate locations, including near schools, and prevent clustering of shops on the same high street. The definition of a vape shop will also be tightened so businesses cannot dodge the rules by claiming to be a general convenience store when their main purpose is selling vapes.
The government have also announced that they will legislate to double the maximum length of Closure Orders from 6 to 12 months, giving police and local authorities more time to investigate premises linked to organised crime and stop rogue operators reopening too quickly. They will also give councils practical support over the next six months to improve shopfronts, signs and the overall look and feel of high streets, backed by the Planning Advisory Service.
All of these new powers and laws put the power back into the hands of local communities and empower resident to shape their highstreets as they like.
Councillor James Potts, Executive Member for Inclusive Economy and Planning has said about the new powers: “We are delighted by the government’s new proposals and that we will gain these vital powers to keep our high streets thriving. These proposals will help us build on our existing work in Islington to take back control of our shopfronts. Islington Labour are completely dedicated to ensuring that our residents can have their own say in the communities that they live so that everybody can lead a dignified and thriving life”.
Councillor Heather Staff, Executive Member for Community Safety has said: “I am delighted to see the scrapping of “aim to permit” for gambling premises. We have campaigned long and hard in Islington Labour, alongside many others, to see this repealed. I look forward to seeing our communities grow more vibrant instead”.