Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Lizzie Rich  01344 352253

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary or affected interests in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

 

Any Member with a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in a matter should withdraw from the meeting when the matter is under consideration and should notify the Democratic Services Officer in attendance that they are withdrawing as they have such an interest. If the Disclosable Pecuniary Interest is not entered on the register of Members interests the Monitoring Officer must be notified of the interest within 28 days.

 

Any Member with an affected Interest in a matter must disclose the interest to the meeting.  There is no requirement to withdraw from the meeting when the interest is only an affected interest, but the Monitoring Officer should be notified of the interest, if not previously notified of it, within 28 days of the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 151 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 4 January 2018, and the minutes of the Annual Meeting held after Annual Council on 24 May 2018.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 January 2018 were approved as a correct record.

 

Matters Arising

In relation to minute 17, (Practical Driving Assessments), it was clarified that the flat fee for driving assessments would apply 7 days a week.

 

In relation to minute 18, (Safeguarding Training for Licensed Drivers and Operators), it was hoped that the first training sessions would begin from the end of July 2018, and no further delays were anticipated.

3.

Urgent Items of Business

Any other items which, pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chairman decides are urgent.

Minutes:

There were no urgent items of business.  

4.

Notice of Public Speaking

To note those agenda items which have received an application for public speaking

Minutes:

There were no requests for Public Speaking.

5.

Licensing Annual Report pdf icon PDF 130 KB

To note the activities carried out by the Licensing Section during the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received the Licensing Annual Report.

 

It was commented that this report captured activity in Bracknell Forest only, rather than across the Public Protection Partnership areas. It was hoped that future reports will cover the whole service. The Committee was disappointed to note the temporary decrease in support service despite the new shared service, which officers attributed to staff sickness. This matter had since been resolved.

 

There had been fewer significant penalties for taxi drivers, and where points had been collected, these mostly related to failure to notify.  The Committee suggested that drivers might be reminded through routine mailings of the importance of notifying the authority of any offences or points accrued.

 

The Committee discussed whether there might be an opportunity to review the points for taxi drivers. 

 

The Committee requested that the next Annual Report included the number of drivers who did successfully report offences or penalty points, and some performance comparisons with other similar authorities.

 

The Committee raised concerns regarding the performance of the Public Protection Partnership, and requested further information on the resilience of this arrangement. The Chair agreed to raise the Committee’s concerns at the next Partnership meeting.

 

The Committee noted the Annual Report.

6.

Review of Guidance Notes and Conditions for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Owners, Operators and Drivers pdf icon PDF 122 KB

To approve consultation on amendments and additions to the Council’s Guidance Notes and Conditions document.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received the Review of Guidance Notes and Conditions for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Owners, Operators and Drivers.

 

Members raised concerns that the length of time for decisions on licence applications to be made was proposed to increase from 2 clear working days to 5 clear working days. On this basis, the Committee rejected the change.

 

The Committee was reminded that the amendments had not yet gone out for consultation and could change.

 

Members raised concerns regarding the requirements for DBS Disclosures for Drivers to be processed through West Berkshire, although it was clarified that performance of DBS checks would not be affected, and existing DBS checks with Bracknell Forest Council remained valid.

 

Members raised concerns around the proposed withdrawal of requirement for drivers to undertake first aid training, and agreed that drivers should be required to undertake both first aid and disabilities awareness training.

 

Following discussion and subject to an amendment to wording of paragraph 5.2, it was:

 

RESOLVED that:

i)          the amendments and additions to paragraphs 5.2, 5.17, 22.1 and 22.5 of the Guidance Notes and Conditions document set out at Annex A be approved for consultation,

ii)         officers be required to bring back a report to the next meeting on the results of that consultation.

 

Amendments and additions to paragraphs 37.1, 5.14, 5.15 and 5.16 were not approved and would be removed prior to consultation.

7.

Review of Statement of Gambling Principles pdf icon PDF 207 KB

To advise the Committee of the proposed timetable to review the Council’s Statement of Gambling Principles.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report on the Review of Statement of Gambling Principles, which was due to go out to consultation.

 

It was clarified that any changes to national policy and legislation would be reflected in the Principles.

 

RESOLVED that:

i)          the proposed timetable as set out in paragraph 5.3 of the report be approved

ii)         the proposed consultee list at Annex B be agreed

8.

Minutes of Licensing Panels pdf icon PDF 139 KB

To note the minutes of Licensing Panels held since the last meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted the minutes of Licensing Panels which had been held since its last meeting.

 

 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk