Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 31 August 2018 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 31^st August 2017 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

There were no items of urgent business.

To receive declarations by Members of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Members are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting.)

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Members should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests, which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting.

In accordance with Part B, Section 2 of the Code of Conduct, Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Committee is recommended to pass the following recommendations in relation to the following item:

“That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that it could involve the possible disclosure of exempt information, as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of that Act.”

Members are reminded that, whilst the following item has been marked as exempt, it is for Committee itself to decide whether or not to consider it in private or in public.  In making the decision, Members should consider the relevant paragraph of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and also whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.  In considering their discretion, Members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers. 

The Chairman advised Members that it had been recommended to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item on the grounds that it could involve the possible disclosure of exempt information.

It was moved by Councillor Redfern and seconded by Councillor Joan Jackson:

“That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it could involve the possible disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of that Act.”

A vote was taken and the motion was unanimously carried.

Resolved:

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that it could involve the possible disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of that Act.

Report of the Commercial Protection Manager

The Committee considered the report of the Commercial Protection Manager, which enabled Members to consider whether to suspend or revoke Mr. Parker’s dual hackney carriage and private hire driver’s licence in response to his temporary disqualification for a road traffic conviction.

Details of the individual case and the Chairman’s summary of the decision are set out in Exempt Minute No. 37, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Decision of the Committee:

That Mr. Parker’s hackney carriage and private hire dual driver’s licence be revoked.

The press and public will be readmitted to the meeting at this point.

The press and public were readmitted to the meeting at this point.

Report of the Commercial Protection Manager

The Committee received the report of the Commercial Protection Manager, which enabled Members to consider the setting of quotas for street collection permits for 2018 and minor amendments to the policy and procedure relating to the same.

It was reported that the local regulations set out a clear framework for managing demand for street collection permits and sought to offer a fair balance between requests to carry out collections from different organisations and to minimise potential disruption to the public.  However, there was no scope built into the current system for flexibility to reflect local demand.

Members noted that there was a greater demand for street collection permits in Lancaster, and that the majority were from local charities.  It was reported that the demand for permits varied throughout the year, with peak times around the Christmas and holiday periods.

Permit applications had recently been received, which would not normally have been granted within the current framework, due to them having been received without the one month minimum notice period, the charity already having had a permit in the same year, or the permit quota for local permits had been reached for the year.

It was proposed that, in order to address these issues, minor alterations should be made to the local regulations, namely:

·         reduce the desired notice period to 14 days and include the caveat that applications received without the 14 days’ notice will be processed, but cannot be guaranteed to be authorised by the date of the event;

·         allow a charity to arrange up to a maximum of 3 collections each year, but only one in reach of the 3 designated areas – Lancaster, Morecambe or Rural;

·         to remove the split between National and Local Charities.

It was proposed that the allocation for street collection permits for 2018 should be:

·         Lancaster – 40

·         Morecambe – 30

·         Rural – 10

Following debate, it was proposed by Councillor Metcalfe and seconded by Councillor Redfern:

“That the recommendation set out in the report be approved.”

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

Resolved:

(1)        That the allocation for street collection permits for 2018 be:

·         Lancaster – 40

·         Morecambe – 30

·         Rural – 10.

(2)        That the following alterations be made to the local regulations:

·           reduce the desired notice period to 14 days and include the caveat that applications received without the 14 days’ notice be processed, but cannot be guaranteed to be authorised by the date of the event;

·           allow a charity to arrange up to a maximum of 3 collections each year, but only one in each of the 3 designated areas – Lancaster, Morecambe or Rural;

·           to remove the split between National and Local Charities.