Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors G Baxendale, L Gilbert and Mrs E Gilliland.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda

A number of Councillors who were Members of existing Borough Council Licensing Committees declared a personal interest in the business of the meeting en bloc.  In accordance with the Code of Conduct, they remained in the meeting during consideration of these items.

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.

Note: In order for officers to undertake any background research it would be helpful if questions were submitted at least one working day before the meeting.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 35, members of the public addressed the meeting on the following matters relevant to the work of the Committee and the Chairman responded:

Mr Trevena

The proposed licence conditions for private hire vehicles.

Mr Bradbury

Taxi ranking facilities in Crewe and Nantwich.

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 13 February 2009.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2009 be approved as a correct record.

To consider the proposed private hire vehicle licence conditions.

The Committee considered a report detailing the responses received from the private hire trade regarding the proposed licence conditions for private hire vehicles which had been approved for consultation by the Licensing Committee at its meeting on 14 January 2009.

RESOLVED

(a)  That the proposed licence conditions in relation to private hire vehicles, as amended following the consultation exercise, be approved for implementation from 1 April 2009.

(b)  That a further consultation exercise be undertaken with the holders of private hire vehicle licences on the proposal to amend the wording of the first sentence of condition number 1.4 to:

‘It shall have a minimum number of four doors, including two on the near side and two on the offside’.

To consider the proposed licence conditions for private hire vehicle operators.

The Committee considered a report regarding the proposed licence conditions for private hire vehicle operators, which had been approved for consultation by the Licensing Committee at its meeting on 14 January 2009.

RESOLVED - That the proposed licence conditions in relation to private hire vehicle operators be approved for implementation from 1 April 2009.

To consider the proposed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers’ Licence Conditions.

The Committee considered a report regarding the proposed licence conditions for hackney carriage and private hire drivers, which had been approved for consultation by the Licensing Committee at its meeting on 14 January 2009.

The Solicitor reported that, since the report had been published, it had become apparent that a representation had been made in relation to these conditions within the consultation period and therefore should have been referred to within the report.  The comments made had been sent to Members of the Committee, and copies were tabled at the meeting.

RESOLVED – That, subject to the following amendments, the proposed licence conditions for hackney carriage and private hire drivers be approved for implementation from 1 April 2009:

·                    2 Conduct  (vii) to be amended to read: ‘ not to play any sound reproducing equipment within the vehicle other than for communicating with the operator/proprietor without the express consent of the hirer’

·                    5 Fares/Taximeters  (iv) to be amended to read: ‘The driver shall proceed to the destination by the shortest possible route unless:

(a)   he/she receives an express direction given by the hirer; or

(b)   he/she receives express consent of the hirer to an alternative route.’

·                                           Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles to be renumbered 8

·                                           Lost Property to be renumbered 9

·                                           Criminal Convictions to be renumbered 10

·                                           9 Lost Property  (ii) to be amended to read: ‘The driver must take any property left in the vehicle to a police station, wherever possible within twenty four hours and in any event no longer than within forty-eight hours, and obtain a receipt for the property.’

To consider the proposed standard licence conditions for sex shops.

The Committee considered a report regarding the proposed licence conditions for sex establishments, which had been approved for consultation by the Licensing Committee at its meeting on 14 January 2009.

RESOLVED - That the proposed standard licence conditions for sex shops, as amended, be approved for implementation with effect from 1 April 2009.

To note the time, date, and venue of the next meeting: 10.30am on Monday 30 March 2009 in the Capesthorne Room, Town Hall, Macclesfield.

The Chairman reported that the next meeting of the Licensing Committee was scheduled to take place at 10.30am on Monday 30 March 2009 in the Capesthorne Room, Town Hall, Macclesfield.

RESOLVED – That the time, date, and venue of the next meeting be noted.

Councillor P Whiteley (Chairman)