Council set to overhaul car boot sale policy

At present, Sheffield Council's policy means that only the authority itself is licensed to put on the events, but car boot sales have not been held in the city since the previous site at Blonk Street was sold in May 2008.

However, officials from the city council have drawn up plans which would see an overhaul of the policy on licensing such events.

The changes would mean that small local fairs would no longer have to apply for a licence and private organisations could hold car boot sales, in the hope that more events would take place as a result and bring in additional revenue for the council.

If the new policy is agreed by members at a cabinet meeting tomorrow, the changes would come into force on January 1.

The report set to go before that meeting said: "The changes in policy will allow community groups and defined organisations to organise more market-type events per annum than allowed at present, subject to them meeting certain conditions.

"It will also allow for the establishment of commercial car boot sales, which are prohibited under the current policy.

"Current policy forbids the establishment and licensing of such an event unless operated by the city council. A change of policy will allow others, for a licence fee, to operate these popular events once more. The policy change will also allow defined organisations to generate more funds for worthy causes.

"It is estimated that the proposed change to the council's current private market licensing policy would generate a further 25,000 per annum in licence fees, almost entirely coming from commercial events licences not currently permitted."