A CRACKDOWN on leaflets and promotional flyers being left strewn around the centre of York could be launched.

Officers at City of York Council have been asked to look at ways of dealing with the issue after a leading councillor raised concerns about the amount of litter created by flyers and and its impact on the city’s image.

The problem is to be analysed after the authority approved a new enforcement policy which is designed to pave the way for a tougher approach to tackling rogue street traders, following a string of complaints to trading standards teams about how some sellers are operating.

Coun Sandy Fraser, the council’s cabinet member for crime and community safety, said he wanted to see more information on the possible steps, including legal avenues, which can be taken to address the spread of flyers and leaflets being scattered around streets.

The review of controls surrounding street trading in York began after complaints last autumn about “gag mag” magazine sellers in the city centre, amid claims some of them were being “intimidating and aggressive”, while others have falsely claimed the money they collect is going to good causes.

However, when trading standards officers looked into this, they could not stand up the allegations.

The new policy will make it easier for the council to take formal legal action against those responsible for illegal street trading, which a report by the authority's head of public protection, Colin Rumford, said “undermines legitimate business activities”, allowed these traders “an unfair commercial advantage” and “damages the reputation of York”. It is also designed to prevent legal challenges to attempts by the council to block rogue trading.

“The majority of complaints the council receives are about sellers of 'gag mags', claiming to be students collecting for charity when clearly they are not,” said Coun Fraser.

“That is why we would like to hear from anybody who believes illegal street-trading activities are taking place or from anybody who has been approached in the street to buy goods, particularly if claims are made about where the money is going.”

Such activities can be reported to the council's trading standards department by contacting Consumer Direct on 08454 040506, or by phoning the authority’s licensing section on 01904 552512.

More information is also available at york.gov.uk/advice/Trading_standards.