Agenda item - Cold Calling Controlled Zones

This report sets out a plan to introduce and administer new Cold Calling Controlled Zones in the city, and to review existing zones on a more sustainable basis.

Resolved: (i) That Option B be approved and a ‘pay as you go’ product be created, enabling communities to introduce, administer and review Cold Calling Controlled Zones, as described in paragraph 12(b) of the report.

(ii) That efforts continue to seek funding for a part-time officer to deal with the zones.

(iii) That both communities and Councillors be given access to the materials needed to create and review zones, and that these be designed to ensure that residents and Councillors are confident that they have the backing of City of York Council.

(iv) That display materials which could be used at Ward Committee meetings be provided.

(v) That Officers liaise with the police so that PCSOs are involved in the process.

(vi) That the rule ‘that no residents oppose the zone’ be replaced with ‘that fewer than 5% of households within the proposed zone object’.

Reason: To ensure that zones can continue to be introduced in a controlled manner in those areas where a majority of residents are in favour of their introduction and that residents are given as much support as possible in introducing and maintaining the zones.

The Executive Member considered a report which set out a plan to introduce and administer new Cold Calling Controlled Zones (zones) in the city and review existing zones on a more sustainable basis.

In a zone, residents collectively agreed not to deal with traders who called uninvited at their door to sell products. Current zones had worked well, but the earliest ones were now 10 years old and in need of review. The demand for new zones continued, despite a decision in 2015 to stop introducing them due to service pressures. Currently, a zone could only be brought in where more that 50% of residents expressly agreed and no residents opposed it; this second condition had proved problematic where the majority were in favour of a zone in their area.

Four options were presented, set out in paragraph 12 of the report:

Option A – seek funding of at least £25k for an officer to deal with the zones. This was the ideal option, but funding was unlikely in the short term.

Option B – create a ‘pay as you go’ product to enable communities to introduce, administer and review zones, with charges on a ‘cost recovery’ basis starting at around £450. This was the recommended option.

Option C – give the community access to the materials needed to create their own zones, through the CYC website. This could lead to uncontrolled introductions of zones and reduce their effectiveness.

Option D - retain the existing position, with no new zones introduced. This would deny the benefits of zones to residents in other areas.

Whichever option was chosen, a review of existing zones would take place free of charge and zones that had no support would be discontinued.

The Executive Member expressed support for the concept of zones in general, and the sense of security and confidence they could provide. She was concerned that the review be carried out in such a way as to assist residents in keeping existing zones where these had proved beneficial.