Outdoor Advertising

Hello All,
back from hols and straight into the fray.
I met today with representatives of the outdoor advertisers including a Planning Manager from one of the major advertisers and the Chief Executive of the Outdoor Advertising Association.
They were concerned about the Unauthorised Advetising and Fly-posting database hosted by the Portal.

I was able to allay their fears and had a good conversation with them about all matters advertising/planning related.
They are as keen as we all are to rid ourselves of unauthorised advertisers and fly-posters as they believe they cast their industry in a bad light which in turn reflects on them. (They also lose revenue to them.)

Following the conversation I proposed 2 actions to our database members (enforcement officers in the main).

1. We allow verified representatives of individual advertisers to request details of convictions against their company held on the database for the purpose of corroboration. I think this is only fair and would reassure advertisers that the database is accurate.

2. That we create a specific discussion group in advertisers can talk to planners as a group about general issues and developments in their industry that may have a planning facet i.e the development of outdoor digital advertisements. In this way they can seek the opinion of planners as a group enabling both parties to discuss issues and opportunities at the outset rather than when they become a problem.
This would not be used to discuss individual applications but wider developments or common issues.

It strikes me that other sectors may benefit from a similar approach.
Let me know what you think.
Chris

P.S If you work in local authority enforcement and are not using the database and its discussion forum sign up now.