Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor D. J. A. Forsythe.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

Following on from a request made by Councillor S. Robinson at the Licensing Committee meeting held on 13^th November 2023, Licensing Committee Members agreed for an additional meeting of the Committee to be held in order for officers, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) to present a report on the Hackney Carriage Rank, Crown Close.

Members were therefore being asked to consider a report on the Hackney Carriage Stand in Market Street Service Road, Bromsgrove.

The Principal Licensing Officer, WRS introduced the report and in doing so, highlighted the following: -

In 2019, the Licensing Committee were made aware of some improvements

being made by Worcestershire County Council to walking and cycle routes

around Bromsgrove.

One aspect of these improvements had impacted on the existing hackney

carriage stand appointed by Bromsgrove District Council in the Market Street

service road (the bus station).

The improvement works required the relocation of the hackney carriage stand

and Worcestershire County Council (WCC) had committed to ensure that the

same number of spaces (five) would be retained for hackney carriages to stand

and ply for hire, on the opposite side of the road to the existing hackney carriage

stand.

A plan showing the location of the original hackney carriage stand, prior to the

changes, was detailed at Appendix to the report. A further plan showing the

new location of the hackney carriage stand was detailed at Appendix 2 to the

report. These plans showed that it was intended that spaces for five hackney

carriages to stand for hire would be retained.

WRS, having consulted on and advertising the proposal to relocate the hackney

carriage stand, the Licensing Committee instructed and delegated authority to

WRS officers to carry out the required legal processes to appoint a new

hackney carriage stand at the new location.

The District Council of Bromsgrove (Hackney Carriage Stands) Order 2020

(No.1) was subsequently made in December 2020 and the hackney carriage

stand was relocated as part of the improvements made to walking and cycling

routes in Bromsgrove.

Unfortunately, since the relocation of the hackney carriage stand it had become

apparent that the relocated stand was only actually long enough to be able to

accommodate four vehicles and not the five originally intended.

Following engagement between WRS and WCC, it was agreed that a further

space for a hackney carriage to stand and ply for hire could be located in the

bus station area. The location of this additional space was detailed at

Appendix 3 to the report.

WCC had confirmed that once Bromsgrove District Council had carried out the

required legal processes to amend the current Hackney Carriage Stand Order,

that they would provide the relevant signage and road markings.

Members were further informed that the first stage of the legal process when

amending a Hackney Carriage Stand Order was to consult on the proposals

with the Chief Officer of police and via a public notice to be published in a local

newspaper.

Members were therefore being asked to consider the information before  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34/23

There was no urgent business on this occasion.

"RESOLVED: that under Section 100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act, as amended, the relevant paragraph of that part, in each case, being as set out below, and that it is in the public interest to do so:-

RESOLVED that under Section 100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act, as amended, the relevant paragraph of that part, in each case, being as set out below, and that it is in the public interest to do so:-

Minute No.                                                                 Paragraph

37/23 - Confidential Minute                                        5

The public minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 13^th November 2023 were submitted.

Councillor C. A. Hotham highlighted a typographical error in paragraph 4, page 16 of the main agenda pack, the word effect had been omitted, the paragraph to be amended to read as follows: -

“The current table of fares was included at Appendix 1 to the report. This

table of fares was approved by Licensing Committee Members during

the meeting held on 29^th September 2022 and had taken effect from 7^th

November 2022”.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 13^th November 2023, be amended as detailed in the preamble above, and approved as a correct record.

The confidential minute of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 13^th November was also submitted.

In response to questions from Members, the Council’s Legal Advisor provided a very brief verbal update.

RESOLVED that Members having noted the very brief verbal update, the confidential minute of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 13^th November 2023, be approved as a correct record.