Harlow Council's Environment & Community Committee has voted not to impose controls on distribution of free literature in the town centre.

The proposals put forward by council officers were defeated by five votes to three, with councillors from the Liberal Democrat and Labour groups opposing the plans. Liberal Democrat committee member Cllr Lorna Spenceley said:

"There is a fundamental principle that people have a right to freedom of speech, which should only be tinkered with in the most exceptional circumstances - not simply because it might be untidy. No evidence has been presented that free literature in the town centre is more of a problem than, say, the discarded containers from food and drink from local fast food outlets.

Proposed exemptions from the controls for people promoting charity, politics or religion would lead to an illogical situation whereby a college handing out flyers saying 'join a course, get a qualification and a better job' would need permission to do so, whereas the Moonies handing out flyers saying 'leave your family, join our cult and give us all your money' would not. The Government legislation under which this proposal has been drawn up was pushed through Parliament in a rush, and is full of loopholes - many of which will end up in court."