Agenda and minutes

The Chair adjourned the meeting for 3 minutes to enable those members experiencing technical issues to join the meeting. The meeting reconvened at 1.03pm.

Minutes of meeting held on 2 July, 2020 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 2 July 2020 were agreed as a correct record.  The Chair confirmed that the minute book would be signed when it became available.

There were no items of urgent business authorised by the Chair.

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.

Report of the Licensing Manager

In accordance with Part 2, Section 7 of the Constitution, the Licensing Manager presented a report to advise the Licensing Committee of an urgent decision taken by the Director for Communities and Environment in consultation with the Chair of Licensing Committee on 31 July 2020 in respect of the introduction and implementation of the administration and enforcement of the provisions contained within Part 1 of the Business and Planning Act 2020 in respect of Pavement Licences.

The Licensing Manager provided an update on the applications that had been received with regard to Pavement Licences and advised the Committee of an error in paragraph 3.3 of the policy which incorrectly stated that the consultation period commenced on the day a valid application was received.  The Committee’s approval was therefore sought to amend the policy so that the consultation period commenced the day after the application was received. 

The Licensing Manager then responded to questions from members.

It was proposed by Councillor Dennison and seconded by Councillor Guilding:

“That paragraph 3.3 of the City Council’s Pavement Licensing Policy Business and Planning Act 2020 be amended as follows:  ‘Applications are consulted upon for 7 days, starting on the day after a valid application was made to the Council,’ and that the report be noted.

There being no dissent the Chair declared the proposals to be unanimously resolved.

Resolved unanimously:

(1)             That paragraph 3.3 of the City Council’s Pavement Licensing Policy Business and Planning Act 2020 be amended as follows:  ‘Applications are consulted upon for 7 days, starting on the day after a valid application was made to the Council.’

(2)             That the reporting in of the urgent business be noted.

Report of the Licensing Manager

Councillor Austen-Baker joined the meeting during consideration of this item.

The Licensing Manager introduced a report to inform the Committee of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) recently published “Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards”, and officers’ proposals regarding working towards compliance with those standards.    A copy of the DfT standards was attached at Appendix A to the agenda. The Council would need to review its taxi licensing policies and standards so that as a minimum they met the standards outlined in the DfT document but that any standards adopted must be appropriate for Lancaster City Council’s local needs, and the Council would need to be transparent in explaining the reasons for the standards it adopted.

It was reported that the Licensing Manager would identify a list of actions required to comply with the guidance and present this to the Committee at the October meeting in the form of a workplan. The Council had previously identified some policy changes in the Licensing workplan considered in November 2019, however other matters highlighted in the DfT standards would now also need consideration, and evidence collated to support any decisions made.

Officer resources were currently hampered by the impact of the covid19 pandemic and a significant amount of Licensing officer time was spent dealing with that , including general enquiries as to the types of events that could currently take place, issues in respect of taxi screens, the temporary closure of public access to Morecambe Town Hall, and a small number of licensed premises non-compliance with covid 19 restrictions. The report proposed for October would identify the actions required, parties involved, resources needed and estimated timescale for completion.

It was proposed by Councillor Dennison and seconded by Councillor Parr:

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

There was no dissent to the proposals and the Chair declared the proposal to be unanimously carried.

Resolved:

(1)                 That the Committee note the report including Appendix A - the DfT  “Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards”.

(2)          That a further report be provided to the Committee in October 2020 with a proposed workplan regarding achieving compliance with the requirements of the DfT standards.