The Licensing Committee of the Isles of Scilly Council met on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, to discuss proposed updates to the council's Licensing Policy and Street Trading Policy. The meeting was scheduled to review these policies and consider them for public consultation.

Licensing Policy for the Isles of Scilly

The committee was scheduled to discuss the draft Statement of Licensing Policy for 2026-2031. This policy is required to be determined every five years under the Licensing Act 2003. The report outlined the council's policy regarding its licensing functions and detailed the statutory requirement to consult with various bodies, including the police, fire and rescue authority, Director of Public Health, and representatives of licence holders, businesses, and residents.

A key area of discussion was the Cumulative Impact Policy/Assessment. The report noted that the council had failed to undertake reviews of its Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) in accordance with legislative requirements. The current CIA, based on evidence from 2013, was considered outdated. The policy requires consultation with specific parties before determining whether to continue with a cumulative impact area designation. Early engagement had taken place with stakeholders, and responses from Devon and Cornwall Police, the local policing team, Environmental Health, and the Director of Public Health indicated no evidence to support reinstating a cumulative impact area for Hugh Town or elsewhere on the Isles of Scilly. A formal consultation would be undertaken, and a further report would be presented to the committee following its conclusion.

The draft Statement of Licensing Policy had been constructed around the framework used by Cornwall Council, aiming for robustness and similarity in content. The report indicated that actual changes to the policy content were minimal, primarily due to legislative necessity or updating local details.

Street Trading Policy 2026

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the draft Street Trading Policy for 2026. This policy is governed by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, which limits street trading consents to 12 months. The policy aims to provide a framework for consistent decision-making and guidance for applicants, supporting economic growth and aligning with the council's priority of promoting economic vitality.

Key points of the proposed policy included:

• Permitted Sites: Only specific Commercial Trading Sites listed in the policy would be approved for licensed street trading.
• Prohibited Streets: Certain streets, including Church Street and The Parade, were proposed as prohibited due to unsuitability for street trading, as advised by the Highways Department.
• Enforcement: Enforcement would be managed by the Environmental Health Officer.
• Trading Hours: The current permitted hours of 9 am to 8 pm daily were presented for consideration.
• Application Focus: Only applications for traders selling food and drink for public consumption would be considered.
• Fees: The proposed fee structure included an Annual Application Fee of £193, with Additional Trading Fees based on the number of days per week a trader operates. The 'occasional fee' and 'renewal fee' were proposed for removal.

The report also highlighted financial and legal implications, noting that consultation costs were within existing budgets. An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) had been undertaken for the proposed Street Trading Policy.

The committee was asked to consider and approve the draft policies for public consultation.