Buckinghamshire Council Street Trading Policy consultation

Feedback updated 16 Apr 2026

We asked

We asked for your views on our draft Street Trading Policy for Buckinghamshire Council.

The consultation ran from 15 March to 26 May 2024.

Public drop-in sessions, workshops and meetings with stakeholders were held during the consultation period.

You said

We received 263 online responses and many written responses to the consultation.

Of the 263 online respondents:

  • 70% (184) disagreed with the proposal to apply controls to all freely, publicly accessible areas due to:
    • concerns about the negative impact on community events
    • potential financial and administrative challenges particularly for small businesses
    • feeling it was unwarranted or excessive regulation
  • support was received for many of the proposed control measures including:
    • exempting specific events and locations
    • prohibiting the sale of certain items such as tobacco products and animals
    • special consideration for applicants and nominated assistants with unspent convictions for serious offences
    • providing a 21-day appeal process

View the detailed consultation analysis report (PDF 0.42MB).

We did

Having considered all the responses in detail, we made a number of changes to the proposed approach. The key changes included:

  • focusing controls on Buckinghamshire Council-maintained highways only
  • adopting an ‘open door’ approach allowing traders not requiring consent to voluntarily apply and show they meet the Council’s standards
  • introducing a public register for consent holders
  • introducing flexibility between locations
  • revising the exemption criteria for community events to clarify that any associated trading activities at community focused events, including those carried out by commercial traders, are exempt
  • broadening the definition of community focused event to include community events organised by, or on behalf of:
    • Buckinghamshire Council
    • town and parish councils
    • recognised charities
    • voluntary groups
    • local community groups connected to good causes
    • education establishments
    • hospitals
  • removing requirement for some documentation where these can be verified by other available means
  • modifying policy on trading near roads with a speed limit of 30mph to allow each case to be judged on its own merit
  • the Licensing service will publish clear guidance for the public and those responsible for engaging traders

On 15 April 2026, Council agreed to adopt the Street Trading Policy. The policy will come into effect on 1 October 2026.

This followed approval at Licensing (Public Protection) Committee on 17 July 2025, endorsement at Council on 26 November 2025 and a 28 day public notice period.

Closed 26 May 2024

Opened 15 Mar 2024

Contact

Licensing Team

01296 585605

licensing@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Overview

Buckinghamshire Council logo

We want to hear your views on our draft Street Trading Policy for Buckinghamshire Council. 

Street trading is the sale or offering for sale of items in a street. 

A ‘street’ includes any road, footway, or other area to which the public have access without payment (including service stations). 

It is not only the public highway – it can include publicly accessible areas that are privately owned, such as shopping centre car parks and open spaces. 

Draft Buckinghamshire Council Street Trading Policy 

The draft policy sets out: 

  • our role in the regulation of street trading 
  • application types and process 
  • the advertising and consultation process 
  • decision making criteria and the decision making process 
  • how to appeal a refusal or a consent being revoked 
  • the duration of consents and fees 
  • our approach to enforcement 

The draft policy aims to ensure that there is a clear and consistent framework for regulating street trading in Buckinghamshire.  

We are proposing that:

  • all street traders will require consent to trade in accessible public areas, unless exempt by law or by local dispensation 
  • street traders will need to meet set criteria to gain consent 
  • street trading will be appropriate to the environment and in line with our corporate plan and health and wellbeing strategy

The policy will cover the Buckinghamshire Council area. It will replace any street trading policies from the previous district councils.  

How the draft policy has been developed

Feedback has been sought from a range of stakeholders, such as traders, businesses, residents, councillors, and responsible authorities / agencies through workshops and an online survey. 

The feedback we received has helped to shape the draft version of the policy. The draft policy was approved for public consultation at Licensing Committee on 27 February 2024. 

Related documents and links 

Before you respond to this activity, please have a look at the following documents and links: 

Events to find out more

We are hosting public drop-in events for you to find out more on:

A licensing officer will be available to answer any questions.

How to have your say  

You can tell us your views in one of the following ways: 

If you have any questions about this activity, please email us at licensing@buckinghamshire.gov.uk  

The consultation has been extended.

Please tell us your views by 11:59pm on Sunday 26 May 2024. 

What happens next 

We will use your responses to develop the final Buckinghamshire Street Trading Policy.  

The policy will then be considered at Licensing Committee before it is presented for approval and adoption at Full Council in late 2024. 

We will review the policy every 5 years. 

Privacy

We will use the information you provide here only for this activity. We will store the information securely in line with data protection laws and will not share or publish any personal details. For more information about data and privacy, please see our Privacy Policy.

If you have questions about data and privacy, please email us on dataprotection@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or write to our Data Protection Officer at Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.

Interests

  • Communities
  • Corporate & legal
  • Environment
  • Health