Agenda item
Licensing Annual Report 2015/ 2016
Minutes:
The Committee considered the Licensing Annual Report 2015/2016 which provided an overall view of the activities, under the Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Act 2005 and other aspects of Licensing, and to inform the Committee on any issues anticipated in the ensuing year. The report detailed the work carried out by Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) Enforcement and Licensing Teams for Bromsgrove District Council.
The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, introduced the report and in doing so informed the Committee that the Street Amenity Policy had now been approved and that a Street Amenity application had been received by WRS.
During 2015/2016 the Council’s Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005 was reviewed and a revised Statement of Principles was published with effect from 31st January 2016.
The Council’s current Statement of Licensing Policy under the Licensing Act 2003 was published with effect from 1st May 2014. The Statement of Licensing Policy was due to be revised prior to the 1st May 2019. In 2016 the Council also consulted on and adopted the first comprehensive policy on the licensing of Sex Establishments within the District.
The report further informed Members that during December 2015 a late night enforcement operation in partnership with West Mercia Police had been conducted. WRS licensing officers and police officers had visited a number of licensed premises in order to carry out spot checks on licensed vehicles. The Council’s depot was utilised to carry out mechanical safety checks on vehicles that had been checked at the roadside but also required additional scrutiny.
The report also detailed the following information:-
· New licences issued and granted by Bromsgrove District Council in 2015/2016, under the Licensing Act 2003.
· Premises that continued to be licensed by Bromsgrove District Council under the Gambling Act 2005.
· The number of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licensed vehicles and drivers, which had increased slightly over the course of the year.
· The number of Site Licenses and Mobile Collector Licences issued under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013.
WRS licensing officers kept in regular contact with the appointed taxi trade representatives by phone and one to one meetings when required and regularly attended and represented Bromsgrove District Council at a number of local and regional meetings.
In 2014 a site management agreement was negotiated and entered into with the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA) in order to regulate face-to-face fundraisers in the town centre.
In response to Members, the Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS informed the Committee that there was no specific legislation to consider when imposing a ‘cap’ on the number of Hackney Carriage Vehicles licensed in the district. Not many authorities imposed a ‘cap’ on the number of Hackney Carriage Vehicles licensed. Worcester City Council had recently imposed a ‘cap’ whereby no new hackney carriages were granted a licence unless they replaced an existing vehicle.
The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS highlighted that the Council would be required to have robust evidence in place in order to impose a ‘cap’ on the number of Hackney Carriage Vehicles licensed in the district .
A survey would need to be conducted every three years and consultation with the taxi trade in order to provide robust evidence that there was a need to impose a ‘cap’ on the number of Hackney Carriage Vehicles licensed in the district; and that any imposed ‘cap’ would not leave any unmet demand in the district. Any imposed ‘cap’ could be challenged; hence the reason to ensure that there was robust evidence in place before imposing a ‘cap’.
In response to Councillor S. P. Shannon, the Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS informed the Committee that there was no ability to ‘cap’ the number of scrap metal collector licenses issued in the district.
In response to questions from Members the Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS reminded the Committee of the recent site management agreement that was negotiated and entered into with the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA) in order to regulate face-to-face fundraisers in the town centre. With regards to street collections, the Council has a street collection policy that was approved by Licensing Committee Members on 22nd September 2014.
RESOLVED: that the Licensing Annual Report 2015/2016 be noted.
Supporting documents:
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