Agenda and draft minutes

To receive from Members, declarations of the existence of any disclosable pecuniary, or nonpecuniary, interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any agenda item. Please see Agenda Notes.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on Tuesday 12 September 2023 and Monday 20 November 2023.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meetings held on Tuesday 12^th September 2023 and Monday 20^th November 2023 were approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

To receive any questions from members of the public provided that a question does not relate to:

-  Matters which are the subject of current or pending legal proceedings or

- Matters relating to employees or former employees of the Council or comments in respect of individual Council Officers.  

To ask a question at this meeting, please submit it to democratic.services@gloucester.gov.uk by 12pm on Thursday 7 December 2023 or telephone 01452 396203 for support.

There were no public questions.

To receive any petitions and deputations provided that no such petition or deputation is in relation to:

- Matters relating to individual Council Officers, or:

- Matters relating to current or pending legal proceedings.

To present a petition or deputation at this meeting, please submit it to democratic.services@gloucester.gov.uk by 12 noon on Thursday 7 December 2023.

There were no petitions nor deputations.

To receive the report of the Corporate Director. The purpose of the report is

to determine the level of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licences fees for

2024/2025.

30.1    The Licensing Team Leader introduced the report of the Corporate Director seeking to determine the level of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire license fees for 2024-25. He advised Members that Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licensing fees were set locally by the Council, and were last changed in 2016 with an increase of 3%. The Licensing Team Leader explained that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Members had decided not to apply any increase to the fees in recognition of the impact the pandemic had had on the trade.

30.2    As fees had not seen an increase since 2016, the Licensing Team Leader confirmed that the report proposed a 2% increase to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire driver, vehicle and Private Hire operator fees for the 2024-25 financial year, noting that the proposed and current fees were outlined in Appendix 1. He also noted that the only fees which would see a significant increase were the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Knowledge tests.

30.3    Councillor J. Brown asked whether the proposed fees would be put out to consultation if the Committee accepted the recommendations. The Licensing Team Leader confirmed that they would.

30.4    Referring to the narrative at 3.9 in the report and the fees and charges outlined in Appendix 1, Councillor J. B Brown observed that the proposed increase would increase Private Hire Knowledge Tests from £31 to £58. She asked whether the tests took place in-house or externally. The Licensing Team Leader confirmed that the tests took place in-house, and the proposed increase was to reflect that the fee for these tests had not increased for several years and the revised fee needed to reflect the costs to the Council, such as Officer time, for undertaking the tests.

30.5    The Chair moved to accept the recommendations outlined in the report. With no dissent, the recommendations were accepted.

          RESOLVED – That the Licensing and Enforcement Committee: -

1)    Approve the proposed hackney carriage and private hire licence fees shown in Appendix 1 for a 28-day public consultation as required by Section 70 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

2)    If no objections are received within 28 days of publication of the notice that the proposed increase to the fees and charges for hackney carriage and private hire licences will come into effect from 1 April 2024.

3)    If objections are received within the 28 days, then the objections will need to be considered at the March 2024 meeting of the Licensing and Enforcement Committee.

To outline to Members, details of key Licensing Activities carried out from 1 September 2023 to 30 November 2023, including applications and service requests received, details of any enforcement work, progress updates of the work plan and any changes in Licensing Law.

31.1    The Chair asked whether any Member had any questions pertaining to the quarterly report. Members indicated that they had read the report and understood its content.

31.2    The Chair thanked Officers for preparing the report and for their work over the quarter.

          RESOLVED – That the Licensing and Enforcement Committee NOTE the  contents of the report.

To consider the following resolution should members wish to discuss agenda item 11. “That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the following item of business on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of proceeding, that if members of the press or public are present during consideration of this item there will be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 & 7 of Part 1 of Schedule12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended.”

There was no requirement to exclude the press and public as no Member indicated that they wished to discuss agenda item 9.

To receive the exempt minutes of the following meetings of the Licensing and Enforcement Sub-Committee, if members decide they wish to discuss them:

-       5^th October 2023 (x2)

-       22^nd November 2023.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meetings of the Licensing and Enforcement Sub Committee held on Thursday 5^th October 2023 and Wednesday 22^nd November 2023 were noted.

Tuesday, 12 March at 6.30 p.m.

Tuesday 12^th March 2024.