Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the municipal year 2014/15.

RESOLVED that Cllr T G Hughes be elected Chairman of the Committee for the municipal year 2014/15.

Cllr T G Hughes then took the Chair.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the municipal year 2014/15.

RESOLVED that Cllr D J Knowles be elected Vice Chairman of the Committee for the municipal year 2014/15.

To receive any questions relating to items on the agenda from members of the public and replies thereto.

There were no members of the public present.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 10 April 2014 (copy attached).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 April 2014 were approved as a correct record and SIGNED by the Chairman.

To receive a report from the Head of Human Resources and Development providing the annual report on Licensing performance.

The Committee had before it a report* of the Head of Human Resources and Development providing the annual report on Licensing performance. The Licensing Officer had been unable to attend the meeting and so the Public Health and Professional Service Manager presented the report to the Committee.

Discussion took place regarding:

·         The fact that the figures showed that there were more licenses issued than applications received. It was explained that this was because multiple licenses can sometimes be issued for one application.

·         Whether it would be more practical to extend the target for issuing licenses to 10 days rather than 5, given the decrease in Licensing Team resource and the possibility of staff sickness affecting output. However, it was explained that the target was set after the point of a license approval and related to an administrative task and not something that needed to be consulted upon. Businesses were still able to operate legally post license approval even though they might not have the formal paperwork.

RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted and that the target for the issuing of licences be amended from 95% to 97% and that the length of time to issue a license after approval be amended from three working days to five working days.

(Proposed by Cllr N V Davey and seconded by Cllr Mrs F J Colthorpe)

Note: * Report previously circulated, copy attached to signed minutes

To receive a report from the Head of Human Resources and Development providing an update on the legislative changes (and proposed changes) to the Licensing Act 2003 made by the Legislative Reform (Entertainment Licensing) Order 2014 and the Deregulation Bill.

The Committee had before it, and NOTED, a report * from the Head of Human Resources and Development providing an update on the legislative changes (and proposed changes) to the Licensing Act.

The Chairman stated that he was in regular contact with the Licensing Officer and had concerns about the number and nature of temporary event notices coming through the department. In his opinion they often came with a significant number of complaints, especially in relation to noise, from neighbouring properties. The Committee stated that they were unaware that a problem existed with Temporary Event Notices and AGREED that a report be brought to the next meeting summarising the number received and how they were dealt with. It was felt that a full Committee debate ought to take place at the next meeting.

Notes: (i) Cllr N V Davey declared a personal interest as he had applied for a Personal License earlier in the year.

(ii) * Report previously circulated, copy attached to signed minutes