The Licensing Committee of Westminster Council met on Thursday 11 June 2026 to discuss a range of significant policy updates and reviews related to street trading within the borough. Key agenda items included the approval to consult on a new Street Trading Policy and Markets Strategy for 2027-2030, revisions to standard and casual trader conditions, and a review of fees and charges for street trading activities. The committee also considered a Cumulative Impact Assessment for 2026.

Cumulative Impact Assessment 2026

The committee was scheduled to consider the findings from the consultation on the draft Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) 2026 and the final CIA for approval. The CIA is a statutory review undertaken by the Council under Section 5A of the Licensing Act 2003, examining how concentrations of licensed premises affect crime, disorder, public safety, and community wellbeing in Westminster. The report highlighted that while there had been an overall decline in licensed premises between 2022 and 2024, cumulative impact indicators remained high. Crime was noted to be increasingly concentrated earlier in the evening, and the highest levels of cumulative impact were found in central areas, particularly CIA Zones 1 and 2 (West End). The assessment proposed several boundary adjustments to existing Cumulative Impact Zones (CIA Zones) and Special Consideration Zones (SCZs), including reductions in some areas and increases in others, such as Victoria and Edgware Road, with a new SCZ proposed around Harrow Road. The report detailed the consultation process, which received 101 responses via Commonplace and 8 written responses, with key themes including concerns about anti-social behaviour, crime, public safety, night-time disturbance, and the economic and cultural role of the night-time economy. The report also addressed feedback on the methodology and data quality used in the assessment. The committee was asked to approve the CIA 2026, which would inform the forthcoming review of the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy 2026.

Street Trading Policy 2027-2030 and Westminster Markets Strategy 2027-2030 – Approval to Consult

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the proposed refresh of Westminster's street trading framework, moving from a reactive licensing model to a place-led and actively managed stewardship model. The committee was asked to approve an 8-week public consultation on the draft Street Trading Policy 2027-2030 and the draft Westminster Markets Strategy 2027-2030. These documents form central components of the wider Street Trading and Markets Transformation Programme.

The draft Markets Strategy 2027–2030 outlines a vision-led, market-specific approach for Westminster's six council-managed markets: Church Street, Berwick Street, Rupert Street, Strutton Ground, Tachbrook Street, and Maida Hill. It proposes a differentiated market network model, defining distinct roles for each market, supported by a borough-wide delivery framework.

The draft Street Trading Policy 2027 provides the overarching regulatory and management framework for council-managed markets, isolated pitches, exhibitions, temporary trading, and other licensed street trading activities. It is structured with general provisions applying across the network, with additional policies for isolated pitches and specialist non-market sites, and a market-specific part for council-managed markets.

The proposed consultation was designed to test the substance, usability, and impact of these draft documents with traders, residents, businesses, representative bodies, ward members, statutory consultees, community stakeholders, and relevant internal services. The consultation was scheduled to run from Monday 6 July 2026 to Sunday 30 August 2026. The report emphasised that this was an approval-to-consult decision only, with final adoption to follow after consultation through the relevant legal routes.

Revision of Standard Conditions, Approved Casual Trader Conditions and Penalty Points Scheme for Street Trading Licences 2027 - Approval to Consult

The committee was also asked to approve consultation on revisions to the day-to-day operating rules for street trading. This included proposed revised standard conditions to be prescribed under section 10 of the City of Westminster Act 1999, applicable to street trading licences generally, and proposed revised conditions for temporary street trading licences issued to approved casual traders. These revisions aim to modernise and consolidate the existing framework, making it clearer, more enforceable, and better aligned with the Council's active management model.

Key themes in the proposed revisions included updated definitions, clearer controls on authorised goods and equipment, stronger provisions on personal use and conduct, updated waste and cleansing expectations, and clearer food and hot-food controls.

Additionally, the committee was asked to consult on the withdrawal of the current street trading penalty points scheme. Officers considered that the revised conditions, coupled with existing statutory enforcement powers and case-by-case decision-making, provided a clearer and more proportionate framework without the need for a separate penalty points tariff. The consultation on both sets of conditions and the proposed withdrawal of the penalty points scheme was scheduled to run for not less than 28 days, aligned with the wider consultation programme.

Fees and Charges for Street Trading for Markets, Isolated Pitches and Wider Street Trading Activity in Westminster 2027 - Approval to Consult

Finally, the committee was asked to approve statutory consultation on a revised schedule of fees and charges for Westminster's street trading activities. This proposal aims to address the financial sustainability and fairness of the street trading service by moving away from legacy fee structures that were considered too flat and inconsistent with current operating costs and market realities.

The proposed schedule introduces a differentiated model based on fee family, regime, location, day, and commodity. Application fees are based on mapped officer time, while daily pitch fees are differentiated by market, day, and commodity to reflect varying operational costs and management pressures. Commodity premiums were proposed for fresh produce and hot food to account for higher waste, cleansing, and compliance demands. The structure also includes revised charges for casual and event trading, reflecting the additional administrative and operational work involved.

The report detailed projected income increases under the proposed schedule, aiming to reduce the estimated direct-service deficit. The consultation was intended to gather feedback on the proposed application fees, daily pitch fees, casual registration and booking charges, event trading fees, and ancillary charges, as well as the approach to annual fee review.