Barnet (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Barnet Council has welcomed new powers to block betting and vape shops from opening on the borough’s high streets, aiming to improve local communities.
Emma Whysall, a Labour councillor, expressed her pride in supporting a resolution that showed the Labour government “is taking action” during a meeting on Tuesday, the 21st.
The resolution seeks to utilize the new authority granted to the borough by the government’s “Pride in Place” reforms. According to the motion, the “proliferation of gambling outlets” prompted the introduction of these reforms in September.
The new initiative provides towns more authority to control gambling and vape establishments and more money to help revitalize high streets.
Barnet isn’t on the list of locations that will get assistance, though.
She claimed that although the resolution just “asked the council to commission another report,” the council’s figures indicated that “vagrancy rates continue to rise.”
Cllr Whysall said:
“The government’s Pride in Place reforms will support the council to drive our high street towards a more sustainable future.
Tackling the oversaturation of gambling establishments while making it easier for venues and groups to fill our communities with more street food and live music.”
However, Conservative councilor Sarah Wardle said:
“This motion rests on flawed assumptions. Simply reducing or restricting betting shops or fast food outlets alone won’t revitalise our town centres.”
She said the council’s statistics showed “vagrancy rates continue to rise” but all the motion did was “ask the council to commission another report”.
David Longstaff, a Conservative councillor, claimed that “nobody mentioned fast food or the problems related to gambling” at a recent Chipping Barnet meeting he attended. He claimed that the council’s “not interfering with businesses” was what all traders “really wanted.”
Since the council “can’t even manage to balance its own books,” he said it was “ironic” that it was “interfering” with businesses.
Cllr. Whysall said that “many people” have voiced worries about gaming and betting establishments.
She said:
“After 14 years of nothing, it is great to see a government actually take action on our high streets, you wrecked the economy, we’re trying to rebuild it so support this motion.”
Labour councillor Philip Cohen welcomed the reforms, highlighting the power they gave people to purchase community assets such as pubs and parks when if they are put up for sale.
He said:
“Nothing is more important than the health of our children and families and that links to what Healthier High Streets [a council scheme] focuses on, the kind of thing Amazon will never be able to offer us.”
Earlier in the meeting, Labour councillor Sue Baker asked whether the council was campaigning to “limit the number of fast food outlets” in the wake of the betting and gambling reforms.
Alison Moore, the council’s cabinet member for equalities, poverty reduction and the voluntary and community sector, said:
“To limit the number of fast food outlets, enabling us to start tackling the harms they create, requires further powers from local government and I for one am more than happy to lobby for that.”
How will the new powers affect existing betting and vape premises?
The new powers granted to the councils, including Barnet, primarily target new laying and vape shop openings, allowing councils and residents to block unwanted new demesne on high streets.
Furthermore, these new powers generally don’t apply retroactively to laying and vape shops. Being demesne are generally allowed to continue operating under their current licences unless other legal or nonsupervisory conduct are taken, similar as breaches of licensing conditions.
The focus is on controlling the growth and attention of similar shops to address social detriment, reduce youth exposure to vaping and gambling, and encourage profitable revitalisation of the high road.