Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Geoff Durham 742222 

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Gary White.

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN RELATION TO LICENSING MATTERS

To receive declarations of interest from Members on items contained within the agenda

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest stated.

3.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 230 KB

Minutes:

Resolved:     That the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 October, 2019 be

 agreed as a correct record.

4.

LICENSING FEES AND CHARGES 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 332 KB

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report seeking Members’ approval of fees to be charged in relation to the licensing of Scrap Metal Dealers, Gambling and Sexual Entertainment Venues.

 

The Council’s Licensing Administration Team Manager, Matt Burton drew Members’ attention to Paragraph 2.3 of the report which set out the current and proposed fees.

 

Councillor Heesom queried the Temporary Use Notice Fee shown towards the end of the table (currently £125).  No new fee had been entered and the question was asked if the fee was to remain the same.  Mr Burton confirmed that this was the case.

 

Resolved:     That the fees to be charged for the licensing of Scrap Metal

Dealers, Gambling and Sexual Entertainment Venues for 2020/21 be agreed.

5.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN RELATION TO PUBLIC PROTECTION MATTERS

To receive declarations of interest from Members on items contained within the agenda

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest stated.

6.

TAXI FEES AND CHARGES 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 242 KB

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report asking members to consider the proposed taxi and private hire fees prior to their being sent out for consultation.

 

The Council’s Head of Environmental Health Services, Nesta Barker drew Members’ attention to Paragraph 2.1 which set out the proposed fees and charges for 2020/21.  Mrs Barker advised Members of a typing error at paragraph 2.2:  the third line referred to section 4.3.  This should read section 7.3.

 

The Committee was asked to propose the fees prior to consultation.  The results of the consultation would then be brought back to this Committee.

 

Councillor Hutton sought confirmation that the fees just covered the Council’s costs and that there was no profit made by the Council.  Mrs Barker confirmed that this was the case.

 

Councillor Robinson asked what time period the consultation would take and if the results would be brought back to this Committee.  Mrs Barker advised that the consultation would last twenty-eight days and confirmed that the results would be brought back to this Committee.

 

Councillor Robinson queried the new fees that had been listed and was advised that these were due to Policy changes. 

 

Councillor Robinson asked if any of the fees had been significantly increased.  The Chair suggested that following the consultation, when the item is brought back to this committee that the current fees be included for comparison.

 

Resolved:     (i)         That the proposed fees be sent out for consultation.

 

(ii)        That, following the consultation a further report be brought to this Committee.           

 

   

7.

DISCLOSURE OF EXEMPT INFORMATION

To resolve that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the attached report, because it is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 7 in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

 

Minutes:

Resolved:-                That the public be excluded from the meeting during

consideration if the following matter because it is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1,2 and 7 contained within Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972

 

8.

MINUTES OF PUBLIC PROTECTION SUB-COMMITTEE MEETINGS

To consider the minutes of the Public Protection Sub-Committees which have met since the previous Licensing and Public Protection Committee.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved:     That the Minutes of the meetings held on 23 October, 13

November and 27 November, 2019 be received.

9.

APPEAL OUTCOME - MR TK

Minutes:

Resolved:     That the appeal outcome be received.

10.

APPEAL OUTCOME - MR MI

Minutes:

Resolved:     That the appeal outcome be received.

 

11.

APPEAL OUTCOME - MR RA

Minutes:

Resolved:     That the appeal outcome be received.

 

 

Councillor John Williams congratulated officers on their diligence in all of the cases and asked if such decisions were in the public domain.  The Chair advised that this would only be the case of the Press were in attendance.  

 

Councillor Sweeney agreed with Councillor Williams and stated that a vote of thanks be made to the officers for the advice received for such cases.

 

12.

URGENT BUSINESS

To consider any business which is urgent within the meaning of Section 100B (4) of the Local Government Act 1972

Minutes:

Expansion of the remit of officers duties

 

Councillor Sweeney wished to put a proposal forward in respect of minor offences committed by taxi drivers.

 

Currently, if a driver is caught doing 35mph in a 30 zone and fails to report it to the Council, the matter is taken to a Public Protection Sub-Committee.  Such offences are usually given a warning.

 

Councillor Sweeney proposed that such minor offences should be delegated to officers and asked that a report be brought to this Committee to expand the remit of duties.   Councillor Hutton agreed and stated that other minor offences should be covered in the Policy.

 

Members agreed as long as the wrong impression was not given to drivers that they could ‘get away with’ minor offences.

 

The Chair agreed and suggested that the punishment be made severe enough that they do report minor offences.

 

Councillor Jill Waring stated that the drivers were aware of the Policy but some did not follow it.  Drivers attend meetings and state that they tried to call the office to report an offence.

 

Mrs Barker advised that minor offences could be dealt with by officers at the application stage and that the punishment would still be in line with those issued by the sub-Committees.

 

Councillor Parker asked if taxi drivers are invited to attend a speed awareness course.   The Council’s Solicitor, Anne-Marie Pollard advised that if the driver attended such a course it would not be a conviction so there would be no requirement to report it to the Council.  However, if they offended again, points would be put onto their licence which would need to be reported.

 

Mr Burton added that, at application stage, new drivers were asked if they had been on a speed awareness course.

 

Resolved:     That a report be brought to this Committee for consideration,

                        which expands the remit of officers duties.

 

 

 

Change of Sub-Committee dates.

 

Mr Burton advised that there was a necessity to change two dates of future meetings of the Public Protection Sub Committee:

 

Wednesday 12th February to move to Wednesday 5 February at 2pm

 

Wednesday 4 March to move to Wednesday 11 March at 2pm

 

Councillor Parker asked if a copy of the rota of the meetings could be sent to him.  The Chair suggested that the list be recirculated to all Members for reference.