Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned either a

(a)   personal interest

(b)   prejudicial interest

(c)    disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI)

and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 4  December 2018 as a true and correct record.

The Committee considered the minutes of the last meeting held on 4 December 2018.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2018 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Members are requested to consider the formation of a Public Protection Sub- Committee for the forthcoming Municipal Year.

The Committee considered the formation of a Public Protection Sub-Committee for Municipal Year 2019/2020. Members also considered whether to appoint the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Public Protection Sub-Committee at this meeting.

Resolved:

1.      To agree to the formation of a politically balanced Public Protection Sub-Committee with a membership of 9 (5 Labour, 3 Conservative and 1 Norbreck Independent).

2.      To note the membership of the proposed Sub-Committee as informed by the Group Leaders as follows: Councillors Collett, Critchley, Farrell, Hunter, Hutton, D Scott, R Scott, Wilshaw and Councillor Mrs Callow.

3.      To agree that the functions assigned to the Public Protection Sub-Committee continue to be those as set out in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution.

4.      To request the Public Protection Sub-Committee to appoint its Chairman and Vice-Chairman at its first meeting on Wednesday 12 June 2019.

5.      To note that the meeting of the Public Protection Sub-Committee on the 12 June 2019 will start at 10am and to request the Public Protection Sub-Committee to consider the start-time of its future meetings.

To make the Committee aware of the reasons for reviewing the Statement of Licensing Policy.

To seek the Committee’s views on reviewing the existing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy, the Scrap Metal Policy and the Sex Establishment Policy.

To update members on the status of other licensing policies.

The Licensing Committee received a report from the Service Manager, Public Protection outlining arrangements for the review of a number of Licensing policies.

The report highlighted the procedure for the statutory review of the Statement of Licensing Policy under the Licensing Act 2003 to ensure that the renewed statement would be approved and in place for the 1 January 2020. The Committee noted that officers would soon start drafting an updated policy to include best practice and relevant changes to the statutory guidance and then submit a report to a future Licensing Committee to start consultation with responsible authorities and interested parties.

The report also included information on a number of policies that while not statutorily required assisted in decision making and had not be reviewed for a number of years namely the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy, Scrap Metal Policy and the Sex Establishment and the Committee agreed with the recommendation that it would be advisable to review these documents to ensure they remained fit for purpose.

Resolved:

1.      To note the procedure for reviewing the Statement of Licensing Policy as outlined in paragraphs 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 of the report at Item 4 to the agenda.

2.      To request the Trading Standards and Licensing Manager to begin an exercise to review the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy attached at Appendix 4a, to the agenda, and bring a report back to the Licensing Committee.

3.      To request the Trading Standards and Licensing Manager to begin an exercise to review the Scrap Metal Policy attached at Appendix 4b, to the agenda, and bring a report back to the Licensing Committee.

4.      To request the Trading Standards and Licensing Manager to begin an exercise to review the Sex Establishment Policy and bring a report back to the Licensing Committee.

To update the Committee on the details of licences applied for, dealt with and appealed in the period 1 January 2019 to 17 May 2019.

The Licensing Committee received an update on the details of licences applied for, dealt with and appealed in the period 1 January 2019 to 17 May 2019

Mrs Sharon Davies, Senior Solicitor, highlighted to the Committee details of the ten licences granted administratively as no objections had been receivedthe review of a Premises Licences considered by the Licensing Panel and the decisions and information on pending applications. Mrs Davies further highlighted that it the past year there had been no appeals before the Magistrates Court.

Resolved:

To note the update on licences considered, dealt with and appealed