Agenda and minutes

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2024 were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as correct.

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.

The following Member declared a personal interest as indicated:-

To determine membership of the working groups:

·         Taxi

·         Licensing Act 2003

Councillor Hussain declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item and left the room.

The Interim Director for Community Services set out the Taxi working group purpose which included previous work to review policy and likely areas which would be covered in coming months.

Councillor Hussain returned to the room.

The Interim Director for Community Services set out the Licensing Act 2003 working group purpose and the timeframe for requirement to review the policy.

Councillor Hussain left the room.

Representation on the Taxi working group was determined and can be seen at Appendix A.

Councillor Hussain returned to the room.

Representation on the Licensing Act 2003 working group was determined and can be seen at Appendix A.

The Chair moved and Councillor Parkhouse seconded that the Licensing Committee agree representation on the working groups which following a vote was carried unanimously.

The Chair reminded Members of the importance of the Licensing sub-committee.

The Chair called upon Councillor Holland to provide an overview of the Taxi Forum and reminded Members that the next meeting would be on 19 November.  Councillor Holland gave an overview of the history of the Taxi Forum and the Interim Strategic Director for Communities added that this was a Member-led group and it was important for the committee to hear of its work.

To receive the results of the consultation and agree the revised policy.

The Principal Licensing Officer presented the Street Trading Policy Consultation Report making the following points:

• that the working group had reviewed the current policy;
• the Licensing Committee had agreed to the consultation;
• the major changes were mandatory requirement for basic DBS Checks on applicants and staff, an assessment framework for officers to be completed as part of the application process, enhanced health and safety requirements, clarity around trading around Schools and Educational Establishments and Emissions Standards; and
• that Appendix A shows comments most of which had been addressed.

The Principle Licensing officer and Interim Strategic Director for Communities answered questions from Members making the following points:

• plant-based food would be preferred but it would be for committee to decide;
• the policy would act as a transparent document for applicants to prepare for application;
• time was not an issue with the DBS application as the license application process takes longer;
• each member of staff would require a basic DBS check;
• mandatory DBS checks were discussed by the working group;
• policies across the country were looked at during the review;
• that there is an historic link between street trading and criminal behaviour;
• that the ethos is of priority to local people;
• that consideration would be given to risk assessment if DBS was not clear;
• DBS checks could be carried out from age 16 but other regulations apply to those under 16; and
• Policies were in place for single-use plastic and to encourage recycling.

The Chair proposed and it was seconded that the Licensing Committee had considered the responses to the consultation and recommended the policy for adoption with effect from 1^st January 2025, and following a vote was carried unanimously.