Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and to report any substitutions

Apologies were received from Cllrs Martin D’Arcy and Jacquie Keen.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2022 and published on the Council’s website.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2022 was agreed as a correct record.

To receive from members declarations of interest in relation to any items included on the agenda for this meeting, in accordance with the Waverley Code of Local Government Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest submitted.

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from members of the public in accordance with Procedure Rule 10. 

The deadline for submission of written questions for this meeting is Monday 20 February 2023.

There were no questions submitted by members of the public.

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from Members in accordance with Procedure Rule 11.

The deadline for submission of written questions for this meeting is Monday 20 February 2023.

There were no questions submitted by members.

To receive any action taken by the Executive Director after consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman since the last meeting.

The Chair advised that no actions had been authorised since the last meeting.

To approve for consultation the draft Statement of Licensing Policy 2023-2028.

Paul Hughes outlined the changes made to the policy which were minimal.

Officers were asked if the Hackney Carriage and Private Taxi Policy should be included in the bibliography at the end of the document.

The Committee queried the wording of Safeguarding Children and felt it should state safeguarding all vulnerable people not just children.  It agreed this would be added.

The Committee RESOLVED to approve the draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy for consultation.

The purpose of this report is to seek the Committee’s agreement to its draft Revenue Estimates and Fees and Charges for 2023/24 as part of the Budget process.  This report updates the Committee on the latest position regarding the draft General Fund Budget for 2023/24

Rosie Plaistowe-Melham attended for this item. She outlined the draft Revenue Estimates and Fees and Charges for 2023/24 as part of the Budget process.

She advised that most fees must provide a ‘break even’ as licensing could not be profit making.  Fees generally update by inflation therefore an average 9% fee increase has been implemented (rounded up or down to nearest pound).

The Committee were advised that in accordance with Section 70 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, any proposed increase to certain fees must be advertised and this relates to hackney carriage proprietors’ licences, private hire vehicle licences and private hire operators’ licences.  Any representations received in response to the advertisement will be brought back to the Licensing and Regulatory Committee in due course.

Paul Hughes advised that the next available Licensing and Regulatory meeting would be 5 June 2023 and would then go to Full Council on 18 July.

The Licensing and Regulatory Committee:

a)    Noted the draft Revenue Estimates for 2023/23 as shown at Annexe 1; and

b)   noted the proposed level of fees and charges for 2023/24 in accordance with the schedule at Annexe 3, noting that various fees will be subject to advertisement and consultation prior to implementation.

To approve the minutes of the meetings of the Licensing and General Purposes and Licensing Sub meetings held since the last Licensing & Regulatory Meeting and published on the Councils Website and Intranet.

Licensing and General Purpose

22 August 2022, 15 December 2022, 23 January 2023

Licensing Sub A

11 July 2022, 25 July 2022, 8 August 2022, 17 October 2022

Licensing Sub B

6 June 2022

Licensing Sub C

4 July 2022, 7 November 2022, 23 January 2023

The committee NOTED the Licensing and General Purpose and Licensing Sub Committees minutes held since the last meeting.

To consider the following recommendation on the motion of the Chairman:-

Recommendation

That pursuant to Procedure Rule 20 and in accordance with Section 100B(5) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during the items, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information (as defined by Section 100l of the Act) of the description specified in the appropriate paragraph(s) of the revised Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (to be identified, as necessary, at the meeting).

There were no items to discuss in exempt session so the Chairman closed the meeting.