Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room 1, Beech Hurst, Weyhill Road, Andover

Contact: Sally Prior - 01236 368024  Email: sprior@testvalley.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

199.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bailey, A Dowden, Gwynne and Johnston.

200.

Public Participation

Minutes:

There was no public participation.

201.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

202.

Urgent Items

Minutes:

There were no urgent items to consider.

203.

Minutes

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2021 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

204.

Taxi and Private Hire Licensing - Review of Policy and Licence Conditions pdf icon PDF 319 KB

A report recommending that the Council undertakes consultation on matters to be included in a new Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy and Licence Conditions.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Licensing Manager introduced the item explaining that although there was no statutory requirement to have a taxi and private hire licensing policy, it was good practice to have one as it assists with consistent decision-making and sends a clear message to potential applicants (and those already licensed) as to the standards the Council expects persons to meet.

 

The report informed Members that The Department for Transport had published ‘Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Standards’ which must be considered by all Licensing Authorities.  It recommended that the Council consult on matters to be included in a new Policy document (a) as a result of the Department for Transport Statutory Standards and (b) resulting from a review of the licensing functions policies and procedures generally.

 

The Licensing Manager advised the Committee that he was in the process of drafting a consultation document and hoped to have completed the consultation with members of the trade, stakeholders and other affected parties by mid 2022.

 

Resolved:

 

That the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Licensing Manager, be authorised to commence a consultation process as set out in paragraph 4.1.

205.

Licensing Sub-Committee Membership pdf icon PDF 110 KB

To appoint the membership of the Licensing Sub-Committee.

Minutes:

Resolved:

That the membership of the Licensing Sub-Committee be comprised of three

members drawn from the Licensing Committee, subject to members having

undergone appropriate training. Those members would be selected in strict

alphabetical order, save when it transpires that a member has an interest as

defined in the Members’ Code of Conduct or the member was a member for or

lives within the ward within which an application premises is situated. In the

event of a member selected becoming unavailable to attend a hearing, then the

Head of Legal and Democratic Services would select a replacement in

accordance with the above arrangements. Where possible, those members

would be selected on a basis that they will not all be from the same political

party or group.

206.

Scheme of Delegations to Officers pdf icon PDF 121 KB

To approve the Council’s Scheme of Delegations to Officers.

Minutes:

Resolved:

That the Scheme of Delegations to Officers, annexed to the report to Annual Council, in so far as it applies to the powers and duties of the Licensing Committee, be approved.