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NOTICE OF MEETING

COMMITTEE:             LICENSING & REGULATORY

DAY/DATE:                TUESDAY, 27TH MAY 2008

NOTE TIME:               1.30 PM                                     

VENUE:                      EAST COMMITTEE ROOM

                                  MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS

                                  EARLE STREET, CREWE

 

Despatch date:            16th May 2008
Enquiries to:                Carol Jones
Tel:                             01270 537598                         
Fax:                            01270  537605
E-mail:                        agendas@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

 

 

 To:      Members of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee (for attendance)

(Councillors T E Ankers, W T Beard (Deputy Chair), D N Bebbington, J A Beech, A Crawford, W S Davies (Chair), R E Dodd, B H Dykes,

J Lewis, R W Parker, M Roberts, R Salmon, R Stafford, C Waling and L T Wood)

Other Councillors (for information)

Chief Executive, Executive Directors

Licensing Team Officers – Legal Services

 


Notes to Members of the Public

The Licensing and Regulatory Committee consists of 15 elected Members.  The Committee has 7 standing Sub-Committees.  Sub-Committees 1 to 5 (3 Members on each) deal with applications under the Licensing Act 2003, Sub-Committees 6 and 7 (8 Members on each) deal with personnel matters and Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licensing issues.   

 

The Borough Council welcomes and encourages members of the public to attend its Committee, Board and Council meetings.  If you plan to attend, please report to the Reception Desk in the Municipal Buildings, where you will be provided with a Visitor’s Pass.

 

Car parking is not available at the Municipal Buildings, but there are several town centre car parks.  There is a disabled access to the rear of the Municipal Buildings, and this can be accessed through the side door on Vernon Way.  Please press the button for attention, and someone will meet you and escort you through to the main reception area.

You are asked to remain quiet whilst the meeting is taking place, and to enter and leave the meeting room, or public gallery of the Council Chamber, as quietly as possible.  Please ensure that if you have a mobile phone or pager, it is switched off for the duration of the meeting.

You are not allowed to have drinks or food in the meeting rooms, nor in the Public Gallery.  A “No Smoking” policy operates in the Municipal Buildings.


Fire Evacuation

If the fire alarm rings, you should make your way to the nearest exit with your belongings, as quickly as possible, and leave the building.  Please follow any instructions from staff about evacuation routes.

Copies of the agenda will be available if you attend. Agendas are also made available on the Internet and can be accessed via the Council’s website – see front page for details.

On occasions, members of the press and public will be excluded from the meetings when the business to be transacted is of a confidential nature, for example, dealing with individual people, contracts and financial affairs of other parties.

If you require any further information, please contact Carol Jones the Committee Officer (details on front page).


AGENDA

This agenda is divided into four parts, and guide times for each have been given.

 

PART I : 1.30 PM TO 1.45 PM

Appointment of the seven standing Sub-Committees.

 

PART II : 1.45 PM TO 2.00 PM 

Consideration of objections under the DPPO provisions. 

Following this item, all Members, other than those on Sub-Committee No. 6, will be asked to withdraw from the meeting.  

 

PART III: 2.00 PM – 4.00 PM

Sub-Committee No. 6 – Policy matters and

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire matters

 

PART IV: 4.00 PM

Sub-Committee No. 6 will sit to hear an employment appeal.

 

 


PART I : 1.30 PM TO 1.45 PM

 

1          APPOINTMENT OF SUB-COMMITTEES

 

1.1       The Licensing and Regulatory Committee comprises a total of 15 Members. 

 

1.2       In addition to responsibilities under the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005, the Committee is required to continue to undertake duties in respect of Hackney Carriage, Private Hire vehicles, other existing licensing matters and employment appeals. 

 

1.3       Sub-Committees 1 to 5 (3-Members) will hear appeals in respect of the Licensing Act 2003 and matters under the Gambling Act 2005.  Sub-Committees 6 and 7 (8-Members) will consider personnel matters and taxi licensing issues. 

 

1.4       It is suggested that in the interests of continuity, Sub-Committee Nos. 1-5 as appointed in 2007-2008 be re-appointed, as indicated below.  With regard to Sub-Committee Nos. 6 and 7, these have been reconfigured, to take account of the fact that the only Members who have received training on employment matters are Councillors W T Beard, D N Bebbington, A Crawford, W S Davies, B H Dykes, J Lewis, R Parker, M Roberts and R Stafford. Other Members will be given training during the year;  in the meantime, Sub-Committee No. 6 remains the only Sub-Committee which is qualified to hear employment appeals.

 

Sub-Committee 1:

Councillors Davies, Beech and Salmon

Substitutes:  Councillors Ankers and Crawford

 

Sub-Committee 2:

Councillors Ankers, Crawford and Waling

Substitutes:  Councillors Beard and Bebbington

 

Sub-Committee 3:

Councillors Beard, Bebbington and Parker

Substitutes:  Councillors Dykes and Stafford

 

Sub-Committee 4:

Councillors Dykes, Lewis and Stafford

Substitutes: Councillors Dodd and Roberts

 

Sub-Committee 5:

Councillors Dodd, M Roberts and Wood

Substitutes:  Councillors Beech and Salmon

 

Sub-Committee 6:

Councillors Bebbington, Crawford, Davies, Dykes, Lewis, Parker, M Roberts and Stafford

 

Sub-Committee 7:

Councillors Ankers, Beard,  Beech, Davies, Dodd, Salmon, Waling and Wood

 

 

1.5       Chairs of Sub-Committees

 

At their first meeting, each Sub-Committee will be invited to elect its Chair.  It should be noted that whilst Sub-Committees 1 to 5 will meet on an ad-hoc basis, Sub-Committees 6 and 7 are expected to meet regularly throughout the year and its meetings have been scheduled into the Timetable of Public Meetings.

The Committee may wish to consider appointing the Chair and Deputy Chair of the full Committee as the Chairs of the two 8-Member Sub-Committees.


PART II : 1.45 PM TO 2.00 PM 

 

2.         DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests which they have in any item of business on the agenda and, if necessary, to leave the meeting prior to discussion of that item.

Members who also serve as County, Town or Parish Councillors or are Members of the Shadow Authority for Cheshire East Council are reminded of the need to make declarations in respect of any item which directly concerns the business of the appropriate authority.

Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide.  Whilst Officers will advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Member, based on the particular circumstances.

 

3.         DESIGNATION OF PUBLIC PLACES ORDERS

On 23rd October 2007, the Licensing and Regulatory Committee approved the making of Designated Places Orders in 19 wards in the borough, subject to public consultation. The statutory consultation period ended on 27th December 2007 and a summary of responses received were summarised in a report presented to the Committee on 19th February 2008.

On that occasion, the Committee resolved that the first Alcohol Consumption in Designated Public Places Order No. 1 of 2008 be made, to come into force on 2nd April 2008.  A second Order was approved for public consultation, to cover areas identified in Appendix 2 of the report submitted to that meeting.

The period for objections has now expired, and the Committee is invited to consider the report of the Chief Executive (3).

 

4.         ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING

This concludes the business of the Full Licensing and Regulatory Committee.

The next business will be for Sub-Committee No. 6 only, which will convene on the rising of the full Committee, but not before 2.00 pm.

 

LICENSING AND REGULATORY SUB-COMMITTEE NO. 6

(ON THE RISING OF THE FULL LICENSING AND REGULATORY COMMITTEE BUT NOT BEFORE 2.00 PM)

 


PART III: 2.00 PM – 4.00 PM

 

1.         DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests which they have in any item of business on the agenda and, if necessary, to leave the meeting prior to discussion of that item.

Members who also serve as County, Town or Parish Councillors or are Members of the Shadow Authority for Cheshire East Council are reminded of the need to make declarations in respect of any item which directly concerns the business of the appropriate authority.

Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide.  Whilst Officers will advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Member, based on the particular circumstances.

 

2.         PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE LICENSING POLICY

The report of the Strategic Manager (Community) (2) gives details of the consultation exercise undertaken with local traders in respect of a proposal to introduce a revised Licensing Policy for Private Hire vehicles used exclusively for executive limousine-type work.

The Sub-Committee is asked to approve the revised policy and to grant the appropriate delegations as detailed in the report.

 

3.         REVISED LICENSING POLICY – “PLYING FOR HIRE”

The report of the Strategic Manager (Community) (3) gives details of the consultation exercise undertaken with licensed drivers on the proposal to introduce a revised licensing policy for Hackney Carriage and private hire drivers which makes specific reference to those with convictions for illegally plying for hire.

The Sub-Committee is asked to approve the revised Statement of Policy about Relevant Convictions, with immediate effect.

 

4          LICENCE TO DRIVE HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES

 

The report of the Strategic Manager (Community) (Report to follow) gives details of the holder of a licence to drive Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles who has been convicted of a relevant offence.

The Sub-Committee is asked to determine whether the applicant is a fit and proper person to continue to hold the licence.

A copy of the procedure to be followed at the meeting is attached (4.1).

 

5          LICENCE TO DRIVE HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES

The report of the Strategic Manager (Community) (Report to follow) gives details of the holder of a licence to drive Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles.

The Sub-Committee is asked to determine whether the applicant is a fit and proper person to continue to hold the licence.

 

6          LICENCE TO DRIVE HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES

The report of the Strategic Manager (Community) (Report) gives details of a new applicant to drive Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles who has a relevant conviction.

The Sub-Committee is asked to determine whether the applicant is a fit and proper person to be granted a licence.

 

 

+ + + +

 


PART IV: 4.00 PM

 

7.         EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

The following item on the agenda has been withheld from public deposit and circulation pursuant to Section 100B(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involves matters which the Sub-Committee may decide should be considered with the press and public excluded.

 

            The Sub-Committee is asked to –

 

RESOLVE: That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following matter pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part I of  Section 12A (as amended) of the Act.

 

(Paragraph 1:  Information relating to an individual

 

Paragraph 2: Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.)

 

8.         EMPLOYMENT APPEAL

 

The Sub-Committee is invited to consider an appeal by a member of staff who is appealing against a decision made at a grievance hearing.

 

The hearing is essentially an oral hearing.  Any written representations which are to be relied upon in the hearing shall be made available to all as soon as reasonably practicable.

A copy of the procedure to be followed at the meeting is attached.   (Item 8 - Employment Appeals Procedure)

 


Note:

 

In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Council is required to notify those attending meetings of the fire evacuation procedures.  A copy has previously been distributed to Members and instructions are located in all rooms within the Civic Suite.

 

If you require this agenda in large print, Braille, audiotape, CD or in another language, please contact

Equality and Diversity, Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, Municipal Buildings, Earle Street, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 2BJ

Tel: 01270 537565