Agenda and minutes

To enable members of the public to ask questions, express views or present petitions, IF NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN, (by telephone, in writing or by email) BY NO LATER THAN 12 NOON OF THE WORKING DAY PRECEDING THE MEETING. As per Procedural Rule 14.4 at any one meeting no person may submit more than 3 questions and no more than 1 such question may be asked on behalf of one organisation.

There was no public participation.

13 January 2022

It was moved by Councillor Stuart Lees, Seconded by Councillor Mark Wakeman and

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing and Appeals Committee held on 13 January 2022 be approved as a correct record.

Voting

5 For

0 Against

1 Abstentions

The Chairman declared the motion CARRIED.

Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any interests they may have in subsequent agenda items in accordance with the District Council’s Code of Conduct. Those interests are matters that relate to money or that which can be valued in money, affecting the Member, her/his partner, extended family and close friends. Interests that become apparent at a later stage in the proceedings may be declared at the time.

There were no declarations of interest.

To provide the Committee with an update on the review of the District Council’s current table of maximum Taxi Fares, requested by the Hackney Carriage (Taxi) Trade; and to consider a proposed table of revised fares agreed with the Trade, for approval following advertisement to the public.

The Licensing Manager introduced a report which provided Members with information regarding the review of the Council’s table of maximum Taxi Fares, as requested by the Hackney Carriage (Taxi) trade. Members were asked to consider a proposed table of revised fares agreed with the Trade, for advertisement to the public, as the procedure required.

Members were advised of the legal powers held by the authority to review and set fares for hackney carriages (taxis that can be hailed in the street of hired at a taxi rank). They were also informed of further requests from several of the licensed taxi drivers for a review to increase the table of maximum fares they could charge their passengers.

This had been discussed at a previous meeting of this Committee and it had been resolved that discussions would take place with the trade to agree a revised table of maximum fares which would then be advertised for comment. Since this decision, the agreed discussions had taken place with several alternative proposals considered by Officers and circulated to the licensed drivers to determine a preferred option for the updated maximum fares, as presented to Members in the report.

It was moved by Councillor Stuart Lees, Seconded by Councillor Steve Wain and

RESOLVED (Unanimously)

1.   That the action taken in agreeing a revised table of maximum fares for publication and advertisement be confirmed.

2.   That the proposed table of maximum taxi fares be approved and a date for implementation of the new tariff, be agreed.

3.   That the table of maximum taxi fares be reviewed every 3 years, starting in 2024/2025.

The Chairman declared the motion CARRIED.

To provide the Committee with a summary of the work relating specifically to taxi and private hire licensing, undertaken by the Licensing Team during the last financial year.

The Licensing Manager introduced a report which provided the Committee with a brief summary of the work relating specifically to taxi and private hire licensing, undertaken by the Licensing Team during the last financial year. Particular attention was drawn to actions taken following the implementation of the Council’s revised Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy, which came into effect on 1st May 2018, when mandatory requirements relating to safeguarding awareness training and annual subscriptions to the Disclosure and Barring Service criminal record check update service were introduced.

The Director of Regulatory Services informed Members that the reported figures for 2021/22, as included in section 3.2 of the report, should be revised as in the table below:

It was moved by Councillor Mark Wakeman, Seconded by Councillor Stuart Lees and

RESOLVED (Unanimously)

1.    That the update report on taxi licensing related matters be noted; and future reports are submitted annually to the first meeting of this Committee in the civic year.

2.    That a progress report be submitted to the next meeting, on the implementation of the requirements of the Department for Transport’s (DfT’s) National Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing Standards.

The Chairman declared the motion CARRIED.

To provide a summary of the work relating specifically to the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005, undertaken by the Licensing Team during the last financial year, and the previous two financial-year periods, to allow comparisons to be made.

The Licensing Manager introduced a report which provided the Committee with a summary of the work relating specifically to the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005, undertaken by the Licensing Team during the last financial year, and the previous two financial-year periods, to allow comparisons to be made. The report also informed Members of the details of compliance and enforcement work carried out in partnership with other statutory authorities, which contributes to the Licensing Service Plan Actions.

It was moved by Councillor Steve Wain, Seconded by Councillor Neil Buttle and

RESOLVED (Unanimously)

1.   That the Licensing Team continues to work with other Responsible Authorities, where possible, when carrying out the following number of planned compliance/enforcement visits in the District by 31 March 2023: 20 licensing awareness visits to premises licensed for alcohol sales, gambling or scrap metal;

2.   That the Licensing Team continues to contribute to the work of the Community Safety Partnership’s VAL (Violence Alcohol and Licensing) Group, and supports initiatives promoted by the Institute of Licensing and the Gambling Commission.

The Chairman declared the motion CARRIED.