Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Cllr Anne Kelly.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the last meeting as enclosed.

The minutes of the last meeting were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency

Cllr Karen Ingham raised the issue of spiking in nightclubs and highlighted her belief that the Committee had a responsibility to support efforts to eradicate the practice.

Members of the Committee supported Cllr Ingham`s sentiments.

Officers outlined the actions currently being taken by partners including the Police, and how the issue would be considered by MATAC, a multi-agency partnership tacking crime and anti-social behavior.  Actions already taken included circulating further information on spiking to licensees; Lancashire Police holding an East Lancashire briefing which Licensing Officers would be attending; issue raised by Officers at weekly Police meeting, and fed into MATAC.

Officers committed to work proactively to share messages regarding steps that can be taken to protect against spiking, and to continue to advise and support businesses in respect of additional steps they can put in place.  Officers also agreed to brief Members on progress and  further steps before the next Licensing Committee meeting.

To determine the level of taxi licence fees effective from January 2022.

The Environmental Health & Licensing Manager introduced the report setting out the proposed level of fees, and process for setting the level of taxi license fees from 1^st January 2022.

It was RESOLVED:

       i.        to advertise the proposed level of fees as per Appendix A for the variation of fees for the following licences:

Private Hire Operator (>50 vehicles), Private Hire Driver, Private Hire Vehicle, Hackney Carriage Driver and Hackney Carriage Vehicle.

      ii.        To exceed the statutory requirement of publication in a newspaper by also publishing on the council`s website and other forms of media to ensure the widest circulation possible.

To consider amending the Council`s existing `Taxi Licensing - Policy Guidelines to Fitness and Propriety Including Convictions and Other Relevant Information`  (The Convictions Policy) in order to deliver compliance with the Department for Transport (DfT) ‘Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards’ Published in July 2020.

The Licensing & Compliance Officer presented the report setting out the proposed changes to the council`s existing `Taxi Licensing - Policy Guidelines to Fitness and Propriety Including Convictions and Other Relevant Information`  (The Convictions Policy) – required in order to deliver compliance with the Department for Transport (DfT) ‘Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards’ - Published in July 2020.

It was RESOLVED that the Licensing Committee:

      i.        approve the amended`Taxi Licensing - Policy Guidelines to Fitness and Propriety Including Convictions and Other Relevant Information` set out at Appendix B, with immediate effect.

    ii.        Delegates to the Head of Legal & Democracy, in consultation with the Chair of Licensing, the power to make necessary changes to the Taxi Licensing - Policy Guidelines in response to any national review of road traffic legislation which results in an offence being awarded more or fewer penalty points , by re-categorising such offence as major/minor or hybrid within the Policy guidelines.

To seek Licensing Committee`s endorsement of the draft Gambling Policy Statement.

The Environmental Health & Licensing Manager presented the report which set out the obligation to update the Gambling Act 2005 Policy every 5 years.  The report gave an update that the statutory consultation had resulted in no changes to the draft policy that had been considered in June 2021.

It was RESOLVED that Licensing Committee recommend that Full Council approve the draft Gambling Policy Statement.