Issue - meetings

Report of Licensing Manager

The Committee received the report of the Licensing Manager, which had been prepared as a means of providing assurance to members of the Licensing Regulatory Committee in relation to the current processes in place in the licensing service and in order to seek to address any questions which may arise as a result of the recent publication of the South Ribble Report.

It was reported that public safety was paramount to the licensing regime.  The rationale behind the hackney carriage and private hire licensing regime was to ensure that the service provided to members of the public was accessible and safe, and seen to be so. 

With this object in mind, the Council had the following three policies in place, which aimed to provide guidance, consistency and transparency:

·         The Rules, Regulations and Procedures for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing (attached as appendix 1 to the report)

·         The Convictions Policy (attached as appendix 2 to the report); and

·         The Enforcement Policy (attached as appendix 3 to the report).

Members were advised that the report had been prepared to try to alleviate any anxieties Members may have following the publication of the South Ribble Report, which was attached as appendix 4 to the report.  The Licensing Manager had highlighted several shortcomings in the South Ribble Report and had attached the comparative procedures set up in Lancaster.  Details were set out in exempt appendix 5 to the report.

It was reported that the Licensing Manager had asked for an internal audit of the current procedures to be carried out to provide further assurances. 

It was proposed by Councillor Hartley and seconded by Councillor Metcalfe:

“That consideration of the matter be deferred until the recommendations of the internal audit are available.”

Upon being put to the vote, Members voted unanimously in favour of the proposition, whereupon the Chairman declared the proposal to be clearly carried.

Resolved:

That consideration of the matter be deferred until the recommendations of the internal audit are available.