Concerns over 'dodgy shops' to be raised at Cumberland Council meeting
They'll be the subject of a motion next week
Concerns over so-called ‘dodgy shops’ in the Cumberland Council area will be the subject of a motion which will be proposed at a meeting next week.
Members of the full council are due to meet at The Civic Centre in Carlisle on Tuesday (May 12) where Cllr Gareth Ellis (Wetheral, Conservative) will propose the motion and Cllr John Mallinson (Houghton and Irthington, Conservative) will second it.
Cllr Ellis will ask the council to note with concern the rise of so-called ‘dodgy shops’ involved in the sale of illicit tobacco, counterfeit goods and other unlawful trading activity and he will add: “Some of which have been linked to wider exploitation and serious organised crime.
“This issue has been highlighted recently by the BBC and has also been the subject of a recent parliamentary debate, underlining the need for urgent action rather than delay.”
In addition, he will ask the council to recognise the harm such activity does to legitimate traders, public health, community safety, tax compliance and the vulnerability of individuals exploited on the margins of such operations.
He will add: “Examples in other authorities, such as Dudley Trading Standards, show that focused, joint-agency action can significantly reduce illegal trading on our high streets, and this council notes the recent successful enforcement activity already carried out in our area.”
And he will ask the council to take a number of actions including:
- developing a focused project to close premises repeatedly involved in the sale of illicit tobacco and other unlawful goods, including through the use of existing powers such as closure orders, licensing conditions and working with landlords to secure the removal of such operators where necessary, in line with successful practice seen in other authorities;
- strengthen joint working between council officers, Cumbria police, HMRC and, where necessary, Border Force to ensure intelligence-led inspections, test-purchases and coordinated enforcement are used more consistently and at greater scale;
- ensure that staff working closely with the police in their day-to-day roles have their remit reviewed and refocused to prioritise tackling so-called ‘dodgy shops’ and associated illicit trading activity, making best use of existing resources rather than giving the impression that little is already being done;
- report progress on this work through the existing committee process, allowing committees to scrutinise and shape the approach as it develops;
- this council resolves to work with partner agencies, including Cumbria police, HMRC and, where appropriate, Border Force, to disrupt illegal trading, improve intelligence-sharing and support the removal of premises repeatedly used for unlawful activity.