Agenda and minutes

Apologies for the meeting were received from Councillors J Alcock, S Hore, J Rogerson, G Scott and R Walsh

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 November 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest in respect of matters contained in the agenda.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interests.

There was no public participation.

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed.

The Chief Executive submitted a report seeking to determine the annual fees for hackney carriage, private hire, scrap metal and sex establishment licences.

It was recommended to Members that the fees be uplifted by reference to inflation, based on 10.1%.  The exception to this is the cost of a replacement plate and bracket for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licenses, which will remain the same as these are charged at cost and the costs have not increased.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.    Agreed to set the fees for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licences for the year 2023/2024 as those set out in Appendix 1 of the Report.

2.    Agreed to set the fees for Scrap Metal Dealers Licences for the year 2023/2024 as those set out in Appendix 2 of the Report.

3.    Agree to set the fees for Sex Establishment Licences for the year 2023/2024 as those set out in Appendix 3 of the Report.

The Council set the dates for the Committee cycle at its Annual Meeting on 9 May 2022.  The dates for the final cycle of meeting include Policy and Finance as being held on 4 April 2023.  This is the same date as close of nominations in the District and Parish elections.  As such the Council’s Chief Executive, Director of Resources and Head of Legal and Democratic Services will be heavily involved in preparing and checking the nomination papers so that the data can be submitted to the printers.

The closing of Nomination is at 4pm on 4 April 2023 and the work checking the nominations is likely to take a considerable amount of time that evening.  It was proposed therefore that the date for Policy and Finance Committee be brought forward a week to 28 March 2023 and that Licensing Committee be brought forward a week to 21 March

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

****Approved and agreed to recommend to Full Council that the date for Licensing Committee be amended from 28 March 2023 to 21 March 2023.****

Report of the Chief Executive - enclosed

The Chief Executive submitted a report to inform Committee of the outcome of consultation on proposed amendments to conditions of licences for drivers and operators, to infringement schemes and the Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy, to reflect the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, as amended by the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles (Disabled Persons) Act 2022 (“the Act”), and to seek Committee’s formal approval of such amendments.

Members were informed that the Council’s Head of Legal and Democratic Services wrote to all Private Hire drivers, Private Hire operators and Hackney Carriage drivers. 

The Council received no responses to this aspect of the consultation.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.    Approved amendment of the conditions, schemes and policy as identified in paragraph 2.1 of the Report.

2.    Approved the introduction of the requirement for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers to undergo training on the equality duties provided by the Blue Lamp Trust

Report of the Chief Executive - enclosed

The Chief Executive submitted a report to inform Committee of the outcome of consultation on signage on Hackney Carriages and to ask Committee to decide whether there should be an amendment to the Council’s Hackney Carriage Vehicle conditions.

The Council received 11 responses to the consultation.

Members were informed that nine respondents, all being Hackney Carriage drivers, did not support the proposal. The majority (eight) considered that the sign on the roof and plates are sufficient. Three respondents were concerned about additional expenses for drivers, and two expressed concerns about additional expense for the Council.  One driver perceived that passengers are less likely to travel in a vehicle with more signage, and another stated simply that door signage was not required.

Two respondents had stated that they supported the proposal, with one Private Hire licence holder referring to introduction of a possible colour scheme for Hackney Carriages.

Members considered the representations and balanced the views of the licensed trade with the possible public benefit that might arise from adoption of the proposed signage.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Agreed that condition 25 of the Council’s Hackney Carriage Vehicle conditions be amended to require Hackney Carriage Vehicles to display door signage reading ‘Ribble Valley Licensed Hackney Carriage’.

Report of the Chief Executive - enclosed

The Chief Executive submitted a report to inform Committee of the revision of the guidance issued under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The Home Office revised the guidance in December 2022 in respect of the following issues:

·         Entitlement to work in the UK.

·         Relevant offences.

·         Temporary Event Notices – Section 7.

·         Full Variation Process.

·         Conditions attached to a Premises Licence.

·         Planning and Building Control.

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

There were no reports from representatives on outside bodies.

There were no reports requiring the exclusion of the press and public.