Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest made at this meeting.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Licensing Board held on Wednesday 9th January, 2013, were considered. 

Resolved: -  That the minutes of the previous meeting be approved as a correct record.

·         Licensing Manager, Licensing Service, Neighbourhood and Adult Services, to report. 

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Licensing Manager, outlining the proposed licensing fees increases to be effective from 1st April, 2013.

The proposed increase in licensing fees reflected the direct costs involved in maintaining the current level of administrative and enforcement services. The increase was necessary to ensure the cost of delivering services was met within budget. The proposal represented a 2.7% increase in the fees applicable to the current financial year (2012/13), except where indicated and was in line with the most recently published Consumer Prices Index (CPI) figure (December 2012).

The fees for administering the Licensing Act, 2003 were not included as they were set by Central Government and were standard throughout the country. However, forthcoming legislative changes via the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 will allow local authorities to set fees based on full cost recovery.

Resolved:- (1) That the proposed fee structure for non-statutory licensing fees, as now reported, be approved at the rate of increase indicated.

(2) That the appropriate officers shall undertake the necessary consultation with the hackney carriage and private hire trade associations and place a notice in the local press outlining the proposed fee increase in relation to private hire/hackney carriage vehicles and private hire operators.

(3) That a further report be presented for consideration and determination by the Licensing Board at its meeting to be held on Wednesday, 17th April, 2013, after the expiration of the consultation period.

(4) That a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Licensing Board describing the implications for licensing services of the implementation of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the Press and Public as being exempt under the Police Act 1997 and Paragraphs 3 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (business affairs and prevention of crime).

Resolved:- That the following items be considered in the absence of the press and the public as being exempt under the provisions of the Police Act 1997 and Paragraphs 3 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (business affairs and the prevention of crime).

·         Senior Licensing Officer, Licensing Service, Neighbourhood and Adult Services, to report. 

Consideration was given to a report submitted by the Licensing Manager concerning the following application for the grant of a licence to carry out house to house collections:-

Members expressed concerns about the lack of detail in the financial information submitted with the application.

Resolved: - That the application, as now submitted, be refused.

·         Licensing Manager, Licensing Service, Neighbourhood and Adult Services, to report. 

The Licensing Board considered a report presented by the Licensing Manager relating to applications for the grant and renewal of hackney carriage / private hire drivers’ licences in respect of Messrs. T.H., L.M.M.H., M.A., K.A.G., M.A.S. and D.H.M.

Members debated (i) the surfeit of applications for hackney carriage / private hire drivers’ licences, especially from persons who are not resident within the Rotherham Borough area and (ii) the guidelines used by this Council in processing applications for drivers’ licences. The intention of having common arrangements and standards for licence applications, within licensing authorities throughout the region, was noted.

Messrs.L.M.M.H., M.A., M.A.S. and D.H.M. all attended the meeting and were interviewed by the Board.

Resolved:- (1) That the application for the grant of a driver’s licence in respect of Mr. M.A. be approved and he be granted a licence for three years.

(2) That the application for the grant of a driver’s licence in respect of Mr. M.A.S. be approved and he be granted a licence for twelve months, subject to him passing the appropriate hackney carriage / private hire drivers’ tests set by the Authority.

(3) That, further to Minute No. Q44(2) of the meeting of the Licensing Board held on 9^th January, 2013, the application in respect of Mr. L.M.M.H. be refused.

(4) That the applications in respect of Messrs. T.H. and D.H.M. be refused.

(5) That consideration of the application in respect of Mr. K.A.G. be deferred to enable him to take leave from his work and attend the next meeting of the Licensing Board.

The Chairman informed Members of the progress of recent meetings with representatives of the Rotherham Licensed Taxis Association, the Rotherham Private Hire Association and the Taxi proprietors concerning taxi ranks and drop-off/pick-up points for taxis and their passengers within the Rotherham town centre. It was noted that further meetings are to take place in order to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of all parties.