Agenda and minutes

Minutes of meeting held on Friday14 October, 2022 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the meeting held on Friday 14 October 2022 were signed by the Chair as a correct record.

There were no items of Urgent Business.

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

Councillors 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, Councillors 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, Councillors 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. 

No declarations of interest were made at this point.

The Chair advised the meeting of a revision to the order of the agenda with the exempt item being considered as the last item on the agenda.

The Licensing Manager presented a report to update members on the proposed Hackney Carriage Area Demand Survey 2022/23.

It was noted that the Council had a policy of restricting the number of Hackney Carriage licences issued and in maintaining such a policy had to provide evidence that there was no significant unmet demand for Hackney Carriage services within the area in order to be in a position to refuse any new applications for additional licences.

It was considered necessary to commission an independent survey to assess the level of demand for hackney carriage services, and that such survey should be conducted by an organisation specialising in this area of work.  In 2019/20 a hackney carriage area demand survey was carried out by on the Council’s behalf by LVSA (Licensed Vehicle Surveys and Analysis) and at that time, the survey concluded that there was no significant unmet demand for hackney carriages. The cap was therefore maintained at 108.

There was a general acceptance that the findings of hackney carriage demand surveys were valid for no longer than three years and therefore a further survey should be undertaken in the coming months.  Following a discussion with Ian Millership of LVSA, a quote and associated scope of the survey was offered and agreed by the Licensing Manager.

The proposed scope of the survey was appended to the report.  The findings of the survey and a subsequent report would be presented to Licensing Committee members at a future meeting.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

The Committee is recommended to pass the following recommendation 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 ground that it could involve the possible disclosure of exempt information, as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of that Act.” 

Councillors are reminded that, whilst the following item has been marked as exempt, it is for the Committee to decide whether or not to consider it in private or in public.  In making the decision, Councillors 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, Councillors should also be mindful of the advice of Council officers. 

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

It was moved by Councillor Greenall and seconded by Councillor Gardiner:

“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 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 two items of business, on the grounds they could involve the possible disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of that Act.

Report of the Licensing Manager

The Committee received the report of the Licensing Manager for the purpose of determining a dual driver’s licence (Hackney Carriage & Private Hire) renewal application.

Details of the individual case and the Chair’s summary of the decision are set out in Exempt Minute No. 52 in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Decision of the Committee:

The decision of the Committee is set out in Exempt Minute No 52.