Agenda and minutes

Venue: Rennes Room, Civic Centre, Paris Street, Exeter. View directions

Contact: Mark Devin, Democratic Services Officer (Committees)  Telephone 01392 265477 or email  mark.devin@exeter.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

15.

Minutes

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 29 May 2018.

 

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 May 2018 were taken as read and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

 

 

16.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors are reminded of the need to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests that relate to business on the agenda and which have not already been included in the register of interests, before any discussion takes place on the item. Unless the interest is sensitive, you must also disclose the nature of the interest. In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, you must then leave the room and must not participate in any further discussion of the item.  Councillors requiring clarification should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer prior to the day of the meeting.

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made by Members.

 

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1976

17.

Proposal to introduce an updated Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy pdf icon PDF 66 KB

To consider the report of the Environmental Health and Licensing Manager.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Principal Licensing Officer presented the report that detailed the responses to the 12 week consultation of the proposed updated Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy. The policy had been previously presented to the Licensing Committee at the meeting held on 29th May 2018. He explained that the existing policy came into effect in January 2016 and that there was a legal requirement to review policy statements every three years. The draft policy had been updated to reflect the changes made, in accordance with the national guidance for adoption by January 2019.

 

He explained that the Licensing Team had undertaken a 12-week consultation with a range of stakeholders including Public Health Devon, licence holders, gambling support providers, and statutory consultees, which comments in relation to the consultation exercise had been received.

 

In response to questions from Members, the Environmental Health and Licensing Manager and the Principal Licensing Officer explained that:-

 

·         There was no available register to check applicants information with information provided from other authorities, but a proposed register for taxi drivers was being addressed;

·         The form for checking applicants was specific in the information it requested, but the authority had an excellent working relationship with the gambling commission and could liaise with them to make additional checks on applicants. However without a national register, making checks was a difficult task;

·         It would be good practice to share information such as refused applicants with other areas, which local authorities across the country were collaborating with and liaising with central government to form a register.

 

The Chair proposed and the Licensing Committee supported having greater checks made to applicants and to have these recommended to central government by Exeter City Council.

 

Recommended that the Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy be approved and that Executive and Council requested to support and adopt the Policy.

 

 

18.

Side Loading / Rear Loading Wheelchair accessible vehicles

Verbal report by the Environmental Health and Licensing Manager.

 

Minutes:

The Environmental Health and Licensing Manager presented a verbal update report on side and rear loading wheelchair accessible vehicles. He explained that as the officer with constitutional responsibility it was for him to present a report to the Licensing Committee, but there had been operational and resource issues, which had delayed the report. There were also legal and public safety aspects to consider and explore further.

 

He explained to Members that the existing policy had been approved by the Licensing Committee 15 March 2015, following a consultation, which had received a lot of representations at that time. He stated additional work was required on amending the policy and it would be brought back to the Licensing Committee at a future date.

 

The Chair and Deputy Chair commented on a recent site visit to observe side loading and rear loading wheelchair accessible vehicles and received feedback from users, which would be included in the final report on whether or not to amend the policy. They highlighted that the visit was very informative and indicated amending the policy would not be straightforward with the issues raised. All legal issues would also be included in the report when it would be brought to the Licensing Committee.

 

Members noted that there may be further issues, based on changes to vehicle designs and technology, which were continually be changed. The Licensing Committee recognised the resource issues the Licensing team faced and thanked them for their hard work,

 

The Licensing Committee noted the report.