Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE LICENSING MANAGER

To provide the Licensing and Appeals Committee a summary of the work undertaken by the licensing service over the previous twelve months, an update on existing projects and an overview of future proposals.

RESOLVED: That the Licensing Service Annual Report be noted.

REASONS FOR DECISION: Section 8.2.3 of the Council Constitution requires the Full Committee to meet at least twice per civic year and section 8.2.3 (d) requires the Committee ‘to receive an annual report on licensing activities including performance information’.

Audio recording – 57 minutes 13 seconds

The Licensing Manager presented the report entitled Licensing Service Annual Report together with the following appendices:

·                Appendix A - Annual Licensing Report 2019 – 2020;

·                Appendix B - Results of a survey of the taxi and private hire trade.

The following Members asked questions and took part in the debate:

·                Councillor Daniel Allen;

·                Councillor Ian Albert;

·                Councillor Sam North;

·                Councillor Gerald Morris;

·                Councillor Richard Thake.

In response to questions the Licensing Manager advised that:

·                Guidance stated that Licensing and Planning were separate regimes and should remain so;

·                A Responsible Authorities Forum had been formed so that issues could be discussed;

·                Updates and joint communications with the Public Health Team have been sent to licenced premises;

·                Licenced premises have been signposted to those that can provide Covid support;

·                Bars and Restaurants that had been closed during the pandemic had not been chased for Licensing fees and payment plans had been used wherever possible;

·                Although public health was not a Licensing issue, support work for businesses was being undertaken and had increased;

·                In respect of taxis, there were more cars than drivers as some companies had a fleet of cars, but no longer had sufficient drivers and some drivers held dual licences.

Councillor Richard Thake proposed, Councillor Jim McNally seconded and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Licensing Service Annual Report be noted.

REASONS FOR DECISION: Section 8.2.3 of the Council Constitution requires the Full Committee to meet at least twice per civic year and section 8.2.3 (d) requires the Committee ‘to receive an annual report on licensing activities including performance information’.