Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors D Bebbington and M Deakin.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to the work of the Committee.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers.

Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

There were no members of the public present.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2015.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 June 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive the minutes of the following meetings:

Licensing Act Sub-Committee

29 June 2015

27 August 2015

21 September 2015

General Licensing Sub-Committee

16 July 2015

21 July 2015

13 August 2015

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Licensing Act Sub-Committee meetings held on 29 June 2015, 27 August 2015 and 21 September 2015, and the General Licensing Sub-Committee meetings held on 16 July 2015, 21 July 2015 and 13 August 2015, be received.

To consider proposed changes to the testing requirements for applicants for joint Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver Licenses.

The Committee considered a report regarding proposed changes to the testing requirements for applicants for joint Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver licences.

Research by Licensing Officers had identified that the testing arrangements within the Borough fell short of the standards required by other Licensing Authorities. It was proposed to lengthen the knowledge test to include additional questions relating to the Highway Code, to levy a non-refundable fee for the knowledge test, and to increase the fee to £40 to cover the additional costs.

RESOLVED – That the Licensing Team Leader be granted delegated authority to consult on the proposed changes to the joint Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver knowledge test, as detailed in the report, by publishing them on the Council’s website for four weeks.

To consider the proposed revised Statement of Principles and the outcome of the consultation exercise.

The Committee considered a report regarding the Council’s draft revised Statement of Gambling Principles.

The Gambling Act 2005 required Local Authorities to prepare and publish a statement of the principles that they proposed to apply when exercising their functions under the Act during the three year period to which the statement applied. The Council was required to review its existing statement of principles and publish the revised version by no later than 31 January 2016.

At its meeting on 8 June 2015, the Committee had resolved that the Cabinet Member for Communities be recommended to approve the draft revised Statement of Gambling Principles, to enable the statutory consultation process to commence.

The consultation exercise had been undertaken between 24 August 2015 and 21 September 2015, and the responses received were set out in Appendices 2 and 3 of the report.

RESOLVED – That, subject to the following amendments, Cabinet be recommended to support the content of the draft revised Statement of Gambling Principles and to recommend that it be formally adopted by Council:

• The third sentence of paragraph 23.5 be amended to read: “As regards the protection of vulnerable persons, applicants must consider the provision of information leaflets/helpline numbers for organisations such as GamCare, Gamblers Anonymous, the Gordon House Association, National Debtline, local Citizens Advice Bureau, and any other relevant and independent advice agencies and the Council’s Social Services departments.”
• The last sentence of paragraph 4.3 be amended to read: “It will therefore be incumbent upon applicants to demonstrate that they will take appropriate steps to follow the Gambling Commission’s relevant Codes of Conduct and the Council’s Statement of Gambling Principles to ensure that no one is exploited or harmed by gambling and to help protect children and vulnerable adults.”
• Paragraph 8.18 be amended to read: “The Licensing Authority will not normally grant a premises licence for premises which are located close to schools or other similar premises used by vulnerable adults or attractive to children.”

·         The last sentence of the Conclusion be amended to read: “It will therefore be incumbent upon applicants to demonstrate that they will take appropriate steps to follow the Gambling Commission’s relevant Codes of Conduct and the Council’s Statement of Gambling Principles to ensure that no one is exploited or harmed by gambling and to help protect children and vulnerable adults.”