Council Apologise for threatening letter to Winslow businesses

Following complaints about unauthorised advertising in Winslow Town Centre, Bucks Council wrote to local businesses about the need to have advertising consent in place under advertising regulations. But the tone has both shocked, and angered, those who received it.

Several Winslow businesses have taken to social media to share their feelings, with the letter stating that formal interviews may take place "under caution" if the signage isn't removed, or an attempt made to retain the advertising.

The Council now say they plan to meet the businesses/traders in the first instance and have apologised for the letter, which they recognise was too heavy handed, and will review their template letter for suspected advertisement consent breaches. You can see their full statement below.

Councillor Peter Strachan is Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration. He said: “Following complaints about unauthorised advertising in Winslow Town Centre, we wrote to local businesses about the need to have advertising consent in place under advertising regulations. However, we recognise that the wording and tone of the letter was, with hindsight, too stern for a first contact and we apologise for any stress or concern that the letter may have prompted. We do have to include certain information and wording in these types of letters for legal reasons and have to highlight that unauthorised advertisements are ultimately a criminal offence, but at the same time we do not want to cause anyone any unnecessary angst and want to work with businesses to help them, where necessary, adhere to advertising regulations. We have offered to meet with the traders to explain more about their obligations around advertising and how we can work together to move this forward. Our ultimate goal is to make Winslow, which includes a conservation area and many listed buildings, a better and more attractive place for traders, residents and visitors. We do however take on board that our initial approach in this matter was too heavy-handed so we will also review our template letter for suspected advertisement consent breaches and the manner in which it is used in the future.”

Bucks Radio have asked the Council to explain what they mean by "unauthorised advertisements".
Their reply:  It’s any form of advertising that does not have any necessary consents in place.