Independent retailers are being urged to lobby their local councillors to get more borough and county councils to sign up to the Sustainable Communities Act (SCA), which became law last autumn.
Almost 60 councils have already signed up to the SCA and many of them are now in the process of forming citizens’ panels to promote local issues, such as protecting local shops and pubs, local services and the environment.
The deadline for the first round of proposals to central Government for help and action is July 31 and later the Government will publish details of local schemes that will be supported and those that have been rejected.
The SCA was the result of a five year campaign by Local Works, a coalition of more than 90 national organisations, including the Association of Convenience Stores and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents.
Campaign co-ordinator Steve Shaw said independent retailers could play their part by lobbying their local councillors and writing to the leader and deputy leader to get them to set up local schemes. The SCA has the support of the major political parties.
A public meeting is being held in London on February 10 to persuade more London boroughs to support the SCA. “There are 32 London boroughs and six [that have signed up to SCA] isn’t enough,” said Shaw.
The meeting, which is free to attend, is being held at the Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House, Parliament, Victoria Embankment, London, from 7pm to 9pm.
More information is available on the www.localworks.org website.
The original story appears in Independent Retail News
