BUSINESS leaders are calling on Colchester Council to lift its ban on flyers.

Essex Federation of Small Businesses wants the borough council to relax its rules which forbid firms handing out leaflets in the street.

Currently those caught distributing promotional flyers face a £2,500 fine.

Iain Wicks, Essex federation chairman, said: “This move is apparently to prevent litter being dropped on Colchester’s streets – something we would all support – but the facts are that it is the individuals who drop the leaflets on the pavement rather than put them in the bin, not the retailers giving them out. So why penalise the retailers?

“Could it be that shoppers have votes in local elections and shopkeepers don’t?

“It seems Colchester Council is more interested in harassing local businesses than supporting them and that is totally unacceptable.”

Martin Hunt, the councillor responsible for street and waste services, said: “Of course we support local businesses, but it costs the council £3,200 to £3,500 a week to clear all the litter people drop on the streets in Colchester.

“That amounts to more than £150,000 a year. It’s money we could do lots of other things with.

“If you give people flyers they don’t want they will screw them up and throw them on the floor.

“I don’t think the people of Colchester want a mess in their town.

“However, if the federation wants to contact me I’m more than happy to talk to them.”

Source: Daily Gazette 22nd July

BUSINESS leaders are calling on Colchester Council to lift its ban on flyers.

Essex Federation of Small Businesses wants the borough council to relax its rules which forbid firms handing out leaflets in the street.

Currently those caught distributing promotional flyers face a £2,500 fine.

Iain Wicks, Essex federation chairman, said: “This move is apparently to prevent litter being dropped on Colchester’s streets – something we would all support – but the facts are that it is the individuals who drop the leaflets on the pavement rather than put them in the bin, not the retailers giving them out. So why penalise the retailers?

“Could it be that shoppers have votes in local elections and shopkeepers don’t?

“It seems Colchester Council is more interested in harassing local businesses than supporting them and that is totally unacceptable.”

Martin Hunt, the councillor responsible for street and waste services, said: “Of course we support local businesses, but it costs the council £3,200 to £3,500 a week to clear all the litter people drop on the streets in Colchester.

“That amounts to more than £150,000 a year. It’s money we could do lots of other things with.

“If you give people flyers they don’t want they will screw them up and throw them on the floor.

“I don’t think the people of Colchester want a mess in their town.

“However, if the federation wants to contact me I’m more than happy to talk to them.”

Source: Daily Gazette 22nd July

[Read the Full article…]