THE Green party were erroneously told they must pay to hand out leaflets for the general election in Newbury town centre, while other parties were told they can leaflet for free. 

Parts of the town centre are managed by Newbury BID, the business improvement district, which charges commercial and non-profit organisations to promote in the town centre. 

For distributing leaflets, the BID charges £30 per person, per day and the Green Party was recently charged half price during their election campaigning.

This was questioned after it heard other parties were not being charged, and has since been refunded by the BID.

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More than a dozen Conservative activists were campaigning for their election candidate Laura Farris in Newbury on Saturday, talking to the public and handing out leaflets. 

Dominic Boeck, the campaign manager for Ms Farris, said that political organisations are exempt from paying to hand out leaflets. 

He said the Tories had received a briefing note from the BID, explaining the legislation that exempts political parties from paying fees. 

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However, the Green party were also campaigning on Saturday in Newbury town centre — but they were told they had to pay a fee to hand out leaflets for their candidate, Steve Masters. 

Since being contacting by the Reading Chronicle, BID has said this was a mistake, and all political parties are exempt from paying to hand out leaflets.

David Marsh, the campaign manager for Mr Masters, said they will get an £18 refund. He said it was a ‘very happy outcome’.

Laurie-Jane Cann said any political party can leaflet in the town centre for free. She said: “What we would like to encourage is a common sense approach, coming into the town centre and leafleting.”

She said parties should book spots with BID when they would like to hand out leaflets, and ‘be mindful of shoppers and the environment’.