Agenda and minutes

Lewes District Council Licensing Committee - Thursday, 20th January, 2022 10.30 am

Venue: Ditchling and Telscombe Rooms - Southover House, Southover Road, Lewes, BN7 1AB. View directions

Contact: Committee Services on 01273 471600. 

Note: This meeting is a public meeting. The number of public seats, however, are limited and need to be carefully managed to ensure that the meeting is Covid-secure. For this reason, we would like to ask that anyone intending to attend as a member of the public, contacts the Democratic Services team in advance by email: committees@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk. Anyone attending the meeting will be requested to check in at the venue upon arrival and to wear a face covering for the duration of the meeting and while in the building, unless you have a medical exemption. All attendees are also requested to take a lateral flow test before attending the meeting. 

Items
No. Item

9.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 120 KB

To confirm and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 29 July 2021 (attached herewith).

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 July 2021 were submitted and approved, and the Chair was authorised to sign them as a correct record.

10.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Graham Amy, Christine Robinson (Vice-Chair) and Linda Wallraven.

11.

Declarations of interest

Disclosure by councillors of personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the councillor regards the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct.

Minutes:

There were none.

12.

Urgent items

Items not on the agenda which the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency by reason of special circumstances as defined in Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

There were none.

13.

Written questions from councillors

To deal with written questions from councillors pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 12.3 (page D8 of the Constitution).

Minutes:

There were none.

14.

Approval of Licensing Fees pdf icon PDF 182 KB

Report of Director of Service Delivery

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report which sought its recommendation to Full Council that the licensing fees proposed within Appendix 1 apply from 1 April 2022.

 

The Regulatory Services Lead (RSL) presented the report and its findings, highlighting the taxi licensing surplus and its change in presentation within the report from the previous year; reduced private hire driver fees; the introduction of new software; and the substantial increase in the licence fees relating to Dangerous Wild Animal Licences, as set out in the report and Appendix 1.

 

The Committee discussed costing surplus figures related to paragraph 3.4; a timeline for reviewing figures; new DBS requirements; training; and the deficit as referenced in paragraph 4.1 of the report.

 

The Committee requested an update on its previous request for child safeguarding training and disability awareness training, as referenced in bullet point 14 of Appendix 1. Officers explained that the Council was currently looking for suppliers to implement the training programs.

 

The Committee queried its previous request in respect of officers providing an expanded list of MOT providers to taxi and private hire licensees. Officers explained that the priority had been the implementation of the new guidance and the fixed door sign rollout, but that the matter was in hand.

 

Resolved:

 

That Full Council be recommended to approve the licensing fees proposed within Appendix 1 to apply from 1 April 2022.

 

15.

Date of next meeting

To note that the next meeting of the Licensing Committee is scheduled to be held on Thursday, 3 March 2022, in the Ditchling and Telscombe Rooms, Southover House, Lewes, BN7 1AB, commencing at 10:30am.

Minutes:

That it be noted that the next meeting of the Licensing Committee was scheduled to be held on Thursday, 3 March 2022 in the Ditchling and Telscombe Rooms, Southover House, Lewes, BN7 1AB, commencing at 10:30am.