Agenda and minutes

The Licensing Board wished to place on record its thanks and appreciation to Councillor F. Wright, Vice-Chairman of the Licensing Board, and wished him all the best on his future retirement from being an Elected Member.

Resolved:- That the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Board held on 17^th March, 2010 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

The Senior Licensing Officer submitted a report concerning the following applications for the grant of a licence to carry out house to house collections:-

Discussion ensued on the number of house to house collections carried out in Rotherham and questions were asked as to why some areas were targeted later in the evening and some more than others.

Investigation would take place as to whether certain areas of the borough could be incorporated into an exclusion zone and whether or not a specified collection timing period could be added to the application form for completion.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the applications be approved.

(2)  That further investigation be undertaken, and reported back to a future meeting of the Licensing Board, into the possibility of designating exclusion zones and for amendments to the application form.

Further to Minute No. 49 of the meeting of the Licensing Board held on 17^th February, 2010, consideration was given to the outcome of the consultation with the hackney carriage and private hire trade associations and the notice in the local press outlining the proposed fee increase in relation to private hire/hackney carriage vehicles and private hire operators.

The proposed 1% licensing fee increase, to reflect the direct costs involved in maintaining the current level of administrative and enforcement services, was to be effective from the 14^th April, 2010.

Tests for private hire/hackney carriage vehicles were carried out on behalf of the Council by Translinc and following negotiation were increasing their charges by 3.0% (a figure below the Motoring Retail Price Index).  The increase would only be applied to the full vehicle test (including full retest where an MOT certificate was issued) and intermediate inspections.  The missed appointment and partial retest would remain unchanged.

Despite the publicity and notifications sent out to all hackney carriage and private hire operators no representations had been received in relation to the proposed increase.

Resolved:-  That the proposed fee structure be approved.

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, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the Police Act 1997 and Paragraphs 3 and 7 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (business affairs and prevention of crime).

The Board considered reports by the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services relating to applications for the grant of hackney carriage/private hire drivers’ licences from Messrs W.A., M.N.R., M.J.B. and K.S.

Messrs W.A., M.N.R., M.J.B. and K.S. attended the meeting and were interviewed by the Board.

Resolved:- (1)  That Messrs. W.A., M.N.R. and K.S.  be granted a licence for a period of twelve months subject to the satisfactory completion of the Driving Standards Agency test and medical.

(2)  That Mr. M.J.B. be granted a licence for a period of three years subject to the satisfactory completion of the Driving Standards Agency test and medical.

The Board considered reports by the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services relating to the hackney carriage/private hire drivers’ licence held by Mr. M.S.

Mr. M.S. attended the meeting and was interviewed by the Board.

Resolved:- That Mr. M.S. be warned as to his future conduct.