Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE LICENSING AND COMMUNITY SAFETY MANAGER

To provide the committee with a summary of performance statistics, updates on project work, service improvements, and future challenges.

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

(1)   Reviewed the Annual Report and commented on its content.

(2)   Noted the Annual Report.

(3)   Requested that the Chair of the Licensing and Regulation Committee urgently writes to the Government to request that they review the Licensing Act fees set 19 years ago in 2005, to raise the fees and bring these in line with the current fiscal pressures in 2024.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: Section 8.2.3 of the Council Constitution requires the Full Committee to meet at least once 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 – 13 minutes 33 seconds

N.B. Councillor Keith Hoskins entered the Chamber at 19:37.

The Licensing and Community Safety Manager presented the report entitled ‘Annual Licensing Report 2023-2024 Part 1’ and highlighted that:

·       There had been a department restructure with a Senior Licensing Officer being promoted to Team Leader. The Team Leader had worked for North Herts Council for the last five years and the promotion reflected the opportunities that were available to employees.

·       The Licensing team sat alongside the Community Safety Team, and it was felt that the restructure would aid the management of the two areas.

·       There had been an increase of inspections throughout the year. Due to the pandemic and staffing level this had previously been lower however, going forward this would be sustained. The areas deemed the highest risk and those premises that had breached conditions had all been inspected.

·       The number of applications and current licenses was at its highest level for five years however, more licenses had led to more customer queries.

·       It was encouraging that the level of new applications had improved and outweighed those of businesses lost.

·       New taxi licenses required one appointment instead of three, which had improved engagement with customers.

·       The Committee previously passed a resolution to not subsidise fees, the department continued to abide by that resolution.

·       Most fees were set locally, and a full costing exercise was in progress for 2025/26.

·       The Licensing Act fees were set by the Government and had not been increased since 2005. The cost of administering these licenses was not adequately covered by the fee.

·       The department had used mediation to resolve possible Sub Committee disputes prior to any hearing.

·       Any decisions made by the Licensing Sub Committee had the right to appeal at a Magistrates Court, no recent decisions had been subject to appeal.

·       Recent case law had confirmed that virtual hearings were lawful, and this was the case for Licensing Sub Committees.

·       There had been fewer enforcements in 2023/24 however, there had been a significant animal prosecution that was still ongoing. The owner received a conviction and had been banned from keeping animals, the ban was delayed until the 14 November 2024 to allow the owner time to rehome the animals, as the alternative would be to euthanize endangered species.

·       There had been three decisions made regarding the fit and proper person criteria for taxi or private hire driver licences.

·       Three policies had been amended and would be presented to the Committee later in the meeting.

·       It was anticipated that a further three policies would need to be reviewed and considered by the Committee before the end of the financial year.

·       There was a successful closed membership Taxi Forum Facebook page that was a safe space to ask questions and share responses. This had led to fewer customer queries and was being considered for other services.

·       The Women and Girls Safety Charter was due to be launched in December 2024 through Hitchin Pubwatch, it would then be released  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6