Agenda and minutes

Members are required to declare any personal or prejudicial interests and the nature of that interest, in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 23 April 2009 and 6 May 2009.

RESOLVED that the minute of the meetings of the Committee held on 23 April and 6 May 2009 be approved and signed by the Chairman.

Matters Arising

6 May 2009 minute number 3: Appointment of Licensing Panel: The Chairman advised the Committee that the Chairman of the Licensing Panels would remain the same as the previous year.

The Committee is asked to consider the Plan attached as Appendix A.  Members will recall commenting on the drat Enforcement Plan at the Committee Meeting of 5 February 2009.  The purpose of this report is to finalise the plan prior to adoption.

The Committee received a report seeking agreement of the adoption of the Health and Safety Law Enforcement Plan for 2009-10.  The Plan reflected the requirement to ensure that national priorities and standards were delivered effectively and consistently at local level, and identified where and how resources would be developed in the current year.

The Committee noted that Environmental Health would be inspecting all high risk businesses and undertaking a further 161 topic inspections to premises in 2009/10.  There had been 66 occasions where enforcement action had been taken in relation to health and safety in 2008/09, although most of the enforcement was in the form of informal improvement notices. 

Appendix B to the report detailed the priority areas of work for 2009/10 and these would be reported on in the indicative plan for 2010/11 to be presented to the Committee in February 2010.  Arising from Members questions the Plan would also indicate the position in terms of staff shortages and the measures that had been put in place to address this issue.  An explanation would also be provided to the Committee on the reason for the increase in health and safety complaints and enquiries in 2008/09.

It was RESOLVED that;

(i)         the performance outturn report as set out in the Appendix A to the report of the Director of Environment, Culture and Communities be agreed,

(ii)        the Health and Safety Law Enforcement Plan for 2009-2010 as set out in Appendix B to the report be adopted, and the particular focus on topic inspections and the inspection strategies for high risk businesses to ensure resources were appropriately targeted be noted.

This information item updates members following the decision of the Committee on 23 April 2009 to permit public speaking at its meetings.

The Committee noted the information report which provided an update on the decision of the Committee to permit public speaking at Licensing and Safety Committee meetings. 

The leaflet devised to explain the process for public speaking had been agreed by the Chairman and was available on the public website.

Since the last meeting of the Licensing and Safety Committee on 23 April 2009, there have been two meetings with representatives of the Bracknell Licensed Taxi Forum (BLTF), on 12 May and 26 June. The minutes of these meetings are attached for information.

The Committee received the minutes of the Bracknell Licensed Taxi Forum on 12 May 2009, and the minutes of the meeting on 26 June 2009 were tabled.

The Committee noted that Guidance on the use of the new penalty points scheme which took effect on 1 April 2009 had now been issued to all drivers.

At the last meeting of the Licensing and Safety Committee on 23 April 2009, decisions were taken with respect to the commissioning and financing of an Unmet Demand Survey in relation to Hackney Carriages.  The purpose of this report is to update members on the progress made since that last meeting.

The Committee noted the information report which provided an update on the Unmet Demand Survey in relation to Hackney Carriages in the Borough.  The Committee noted that the survey had involved 280 hours of rank observation and that the findings of the survey, including results of the consultation would be presented to the Committee at their next meeting on 1 October 2009.

The Committee also noted that as there had been no objections the increase in the cost of a Hackney Carriage Licence from £220 to £270 and therefore the new cost had been implemented.

This information item briefs members on a number of aspects of the Policing and Crime Bill 2008-2009, that directly relate to licensing functions.

The Committee noted the information report providing an update on the Policing and Crime Bill 2008-2009.  Proposals within the Bill included reclassifying lap, table and pole dancing clubs to sex encounter venues and tackling the irresponsible selling of alcohol.

The Bill was currently going through a consultation process and implementation was likely to commence in Autumn when the Council would need to decide whether it would continue to licence lap dancing clubs under the Licensing Act or to move to the new system.

1 October 2009

Thursday 1 October 2009, 7.30pm, Council Chamber, Easthampstead House.