Harlow Council's Licensing Committee has discussed proposals from council officers to 'designate' areas of Harlow Town Centre under Section 23 of Part 3 of the Cleaner Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005.

This would make it an offence to distribute any free printed matter without consent of the relevant principal litter authority. There would be three exceptions to this requirement - for literature distributed for charitable, political and religious purposes. The committee also recommended a charge of £22 for the granting of consent to organisations not covered by the exceptions.

The proposals will need to be considered by Harlow Council's Environment & Community Committee.