Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Priya Patel  01344 352233

Items
No. Item

28.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any personal or disclosable pecuniary interest 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.

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

29.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 146 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 8 October 2015.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing and Safety Committee held on 8 October 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

30.

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.

31.

Notice of Public Speaking

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

Minutes:

It was noted that no members of the public had registered to speak at the meeting.

32.

Pet Shop Licence Conditions pdf icon PDF 114 KB

The Committee is asked to approve a consultation exercise with all existing pet shop licence holders in respect of the potential adoption of the Model Licence Conditions document at Annex A. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report which sought approval for a consultation exercise with all existing pet shop licence holders in respect of the potential adoption of the Model Licence Conditions for Pet Vending Licensing as published by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health 2013.

 

It was reported that the model conditions would update the Council’s present conditions and incorporate the Animal Welfare Act, which had come into force since the Council had published its conditions. It was proposed that the new model conditions if adopted would be implemented with immediate effect for any new licences issued. Existing licence holders would adopt the new model conditions when their licences are next renewed from 1 January 2017.

 

It was RESOLVED that a consultation exercise with all existing pet shop licence holders in respect of the potential adoption of the Model Licence Conditions document attached to the agenda papers at Annex A, be approved and a report brought back to a future meeting of the Committee for consideration of any responses received to the consultation.  

33.

Safeguarding Training for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Drivers pdf icon PDF 193 KB

The Committee is asked to agree the introduction of mandatory safeguarding training for all hackney carriage and private hire vehicle drivers and operators, and that the trade and the general public be consulted on the content and extent of any training provision prior to implementation.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report that sought approval to introduce compulsory safeguarding training for all hackney carriage and private hire vehicle drivers and operators within Bracknell Forest.

 

It was reported that addressing the issue of child sexual exploitation had become a priority and a matter of great importance for the community and public authorities nationally. Within the report ‘Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham (1997-2013) Alexis Jay OBE August 2014’ the role of taxi drivers in facilitating the abuse of children was identified and highlighted.

 

It was noted that Home to School drivers already had to undertake this training and there were clear indications that the training had been beneficial particularly in terms of raising awareness among drivers. The Chair of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board was supportive of the proposals that all drivers and operators receive this training. In addition, operators were receptive to receiving the training.

 

It was noted that this training would protect children, vulnerable people as well as drivers and operators.

 

In response to members’ queries it was reported that the timescales for completing the mandatory training and how regularly the training should be undertaken would be part of the consultation exercise. A recommended timescale would be brought back to the Committee.

 

The Committee welcomed the mandatory training and were keen to see it implemented as soon as possible.

 

It was RESOLVED that;

 

i)              the introduction of mandatory safeguarding training for all hackney carriage and private hire vehicle drivers and operators be agreed and

 

ii)             that the trade and the general public be consulted on the content and extent of any training provision prior to implementation.

34.

Street Collection Policy pdf icon PDF 130 KB

The Committee is asked to agree the proposed changes to the current Policy and approve the revised Street Collection Policy as set out in Annex A. 

Minutes:

The Committee received a report that asked them to consider the adoption of a policy in respect of the licensing of street collections held in the borough.

 

In response to members’ queries, it was agreed that officers would consult the Royal British Legion as to whether they would like more than seven days for the Poppy Appeal street collection and make revisions as necessary in consultation with the Chairman.

 

It was RESOLVED that subject to any amendments made, the Committee agree the proposed changes to the current Policy and approve the revised Street Collection Policy as highlighted and set out in Annex A of the agenda papers.

35.

Licensing Act 2003: Deregulation Update pdf icon PDF 128 KB

The Committee is asked to note this information report which highlights a recent amendment to the Licensing Act 2003 (‘the Act’) which permits licensing authorities to relax the requirements for licensing of late night refreshment in certain circumstances.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted the information report which highlighted a recent amendment to the Licensing Act 2003 which permits licensing authorities to relax the requirements for licensing of late night refreshment in certain circumstances.

 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk