Environmental Framework for Events and Licensed Businesses

We are dedicated to protecting and enhancing our natural environment, reducing emissions, and improving the quality of life for our residents. With this in mind we are developing an environmental framework to guide future licensing policies and applicants for licences. The aim of the Framework is not to add regulation and stop certain events, if adopted it would act as Supplementary Guidance for applicants and licence holders on how they can operate in a more climate friendly way.

We want to support local businesses, festivals and events to develop and thrive and are aware that traditional events such as bonfire celebrations, firework events, classic car shows, steam engine fairs are very popular and important for our local community and that we need to work together to make sure they continue to operate and remain successful. With the framework we hope to encourage good practice and behaviour that protects the environment both in the short and longer term.

A public consultation on this subject ran for two months during December 2023 and February 2024 to ask for your views. As a result of the feedback we received we have now produced a draft environmental framework for events and licensed businesses and again we would like your feedback on this draft.

Please take the opportunity to have your say on the proposed environmental framework using the link to the survey below.

The full report on the consultation went to the Council's Licensing committee on 15th March 2024 and can be viewed here Environmental Framework Licensing Committee report. Appendix B of the report contains the consultation results we received during the first public consultation and a summary is as follows:

• It is important that we discourage single use plastics, encourage organisers to remove their own rubbish, incentivise the availability of local produce and support operators and businesses to use best practice rather than penalising them.
• There was comment about the need to be careful not to place restrictions on traditional events, charities etc. as this will increase the cost and potentially make it difficult/impossible or more costly for events to go ahead.
• The lack or availability of useful or convenient public transport was highlighted as a problem within the area and it was felt that there's a need to be careful about placing restrictions on private vehicles as felt this could affect event attendance.
• Additional support for premises licence holders and event organisers should be considered as these changes are introduced.

Please take the opportunity to have your say on the proposed environmental framework by Sunday 1st December 2024.