Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted CouncillorsK Hussain and D Quinn.

Councillor L Ryder acted as a substitute representative for Councillor D Quinn.

Councillor Ryder had undertaken the Licensing training which had been provided to all Members of the Committee earlier this year.

Members of the Licensing and Safety Panel are asked to consider whether they have an interest in any of the matters on the agenda, and if so, to formally declare that interest. 

Councillor Rydeheard declared an interest that in his employment he had worked on a number of cases involving both Private Hire and Hackney Carriage drivers.

Councillor Ibrahim declared an interest that he was aware of the applicant within his local community in relation to agenda item 8 and would remain in the meeting for this item.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 20th July 2023 are attached.

Members of the Licensing and Safety Committee are asked to consider

whether these are a correct record of the meeting, and if so, to formally

approve them.

Delegated decision:

That the Minutes of the last meeting held on the 20^th July 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Questions are invited from members of the public present at the meeting on any matters for which this Panel is responsible.

Approximately 30 minutes will be set aside for Public Question Time if required.

No questions had been pre submitted or were raised by members of the public in attendance at the meeting.

A report from the Executive Director (Operations) is attached.

The Executive Director (Operations) submitted a report advising Members on operational issues within the Licensing Service.

The report set out updates in respect of the following issues:

The Licensing Service had dealt with a number of compliance and enforcement

Matters between the 3^rd July and the 27^th August 2023.

TRADE LIAISON MEETING

The Licensing Service held a Trade Liaison meeting with the taxi trade on the

3^rd August 2023, this was attended by representatives of the trade. The minutes

of the meeting have been published on the Council’s website.

Following the decision of the Committee on the 20^th July 2023, the Licensing

Service have progressed the public consultation in relation to the review of

Council Policy in relation to Hackney carriage and Private Hire. The

consultation began on the 7^th August 2023 and will end on the 15^th September

2023. [TB1] [TB2] A further report will be drafted and placed before members for

consideration at the meeting in October 2023.

The Licensing Service raised the public consultation with trade representatives

at the Trade Liaison meeting on the 3^rd August 2023 to enable them to advise

their members of the proposed consultation. In addition, it was requested that

a dedicated email address was set up for any issues/concerns/difficulties to be

communicated to the Licensing Service.

Following the Trade Liaison meeting, the Licensing Service had sent two

rounds of emails out on the 7^th August and 30^th August 2023. The email was

sent to 911 drivers, 30 Private Hire Operators and 5 trade representatives. The

Council’s Engagement Officer had been promoting and working with the trade

groups and the Council has been promoting the consultation by social media.

LICENSING HEARING SUB-COMMITTEE HEARING            

The Licensing Service received an application for a Temporary Event Notice

for the Kavern Klub, 107 The Rock, Bury, BL9 0NB. Representations were

received from Greater Manchester Police in their capacity as a responsible

authority. The matter was considered by the Licensing Hearings Sub-

Committee on the 3^rd August 2023. During the meeting the notice giver after

hearing the representation from Greater Manchester Police decided to

withdraw her application, therefore the Sub-Committee members were not

required to determine the application.

DEDICATED BE.EV TAXI AND PRIVATE HIRE ELECTRIC VEHICLE

CHARGING POINTS IN GREATER MANCHESTER

The Licensing Service were requested by Transport for Greater Manchester to

circulate to the taxi trade in Bury on the 29 August 2023, information in relation

to taxi and private hire charging points that are now live in Greater Manchester.

This information was emailed and sent to all licence holders and interested

parties and EV taxi and private hire charging points sites now live were detailed

in the report.

Information was also provided on how to register the vehicle on the scheme

and how to validate onto the scheme. The information sent to the trade also

contained the costs associated with the different types of chargers.

OFFICER TRIBUTE

B Thomson, the Head of Public  ...  view the full minutes text for item LSP.5

Any other business, which by reason of special circumstances, the Chair agrees may be considered as a matter of urgency.

No urgent business was reported at the meeting.

To consider passing the appropriate resolution under section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business since it involves the likely disclosure of the exempt information stated.

Delegated decision:

That in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business since it involved the likely disclosure of information relating to individuals who hold Licences granted by the Authority or Applicants for Licences provided by the Authority.

A report from the Executive Director (Operations) is attached.

The Executive Director (Operations) submitted a report relating to an application to licence a vehicle as a hackney carriage which falls outside the Council’s current policy.

The Chair made introductions and the Council Solicitor outlined the procedure to be followed and clarified that all those present had read the report. The report, which was accepted by the Applicant and their representative was presented by the Licensing Unit Manager.

He set out the reasons for the being before the Committee and highlighted </AI9>a report that was considered at the committee meeting on the 11^th November 2021 in relation to common minimum standards. Members of the Committee noted that report and recommended approval which was undertaken at a meeting of the Full Council on the 24^th November 2021. The following policy standard was adopted;

Standard 9 of the adopted common minimum licensing standards related to vehicle design and stated “No vehicle first being licensed will have been written off in any category and will not be renewed (if previously written off) after 1 April 2022”.

On the 24^th March 2022, a further report was considered and adopted by the Licensing and Safety Committee in relation to written off vehicles. The decision of the Committee then was as follows:

Following discussions with the GM Licensing Network, it is proposed to review this standard in its entirety and give consideration to a revised standard in relation to written off vehicles.     It is recommended that the standard that has been previously approved be amended as follows:-

Existing licence holders with vehicles that have previously been written off (in any category) will be permitted to renew their licence up to 31 March 2023.

On the 16 March 2023, a further report was considered and approved by the Licensing and Safety Committee in relation to amendments to the Greater Manchester Minimum Licensing Standards for the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles. This report included the implementation date for the written-off vehicle to the 1^st April 2026 for existing licensed vehicles.

Members resolved that the implementation date for the written-off vehicle standards be extended to 1^st April 2026. The amendment to the written off policy is to permit vehicle licence holders who are currently licensed in Bury with a previously written off vehicle prior to the implementation of the Stage 2 of Common Minimum Standards in November 2021 to continue to be able to licence the vehicle until the 1^st April 2026. In order to achieve compliance, the current policy now stated that from 1^st April 2025 a vehicle licence will not be renewed if the vehicle has been previously written off.

There was no change to Council Policy relating to new vehicle licence applications in relation to this standard.

On the 9^th March 2023, the Licensing Service were notified by the vehicle proprietor that they had been involved in a road traffic accident and there was damage to the front of the vehicle.

On the 13  ...  view the full minutes text for item LSP.8