Pavement licences

Consultation on the Amendment of the Runnymede Borough Council Pavement Licensing Policy

The purpose of this consultation is to ask for your views on the updated Pavement Licensing Policy, in line with legislative changes introduced by the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. 

The information below will assist you in understanding the proposed revisions and the revised draft Policy document can be viewed on our website.

 Pavement Licensing Policy - proposed 

The consultation period will be 8 weeks - Tuesday 25 June 2024 until Monday 19 August 2024.

The Council’s Pavement Licensing Policy was first approved in July 2020 in line with the temporary provisions in the Business and Planning Act 2020. At this time, responsibilities for Pavement Licensing were transferred from Surrey County Council to Borough Councils to provide flexibility during the covid pandemic and assist businesses to operate safely whilst social distancing restrictions were in place. There was a temporary cap on the fees and a fast-track application process for premises (such as cafés, restaurants and pubs) to put tables and chairs outside their premises, on land designated as the public highway, to serve customers outside.

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 commenced on 31 March 2024 and introduced a permanent pavement licensing regime in England, replacing the previous temporary arrangements. Whilst this regime retains the key features of the previous regime, it incorporates some key changes as summarised below;

• amend upwards the fees Councils could charge for new licences and renewals, to a maximum of £500 and £350 respectively;
• extend the public consultation period and council determination period from 7 to 14 calendar days each; 
• extend the maximum duration of pavement licences from 1 to 2 years;
• provide that pavement licences could be amended by the local authority with the consent of the licence holder if it was deemed that the licence conditions were not being met;
• only allow for pavement licences to be issued rather than exercising the provisions of the old “tables and chairs” regime under the Highways Act 1980;
• provide powers of enforcement to local authorities to issue a notice and remove furniture placed on the highway without a pavement licence being in place.

Runnymede Council’s Policy for pavement licensing has been revised to include the amended areas above, as set out in the legislation, and seeks feedback as part of this consultation process.

The Council’s Regulatory Committee will meet again in September 2024 to decide on the matter and your views are a key factor in the decision-making process.

Please email your feedback to the Licensing Team: licensing@runnymede.gov.uk

Or by post or by hand to:

Licensing Team
Runnymede Borough Council
Civic Centre
Station Road
Addlestone
KT15 2AH

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