Agenda item

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:

COMMON MINIMUM LICENSING STANDARDS/CLEAN AIR

The Licensing Service would like to inform the Members of the panel that the consultation relating to the common minimum licensing standards/clean air finishes on the 3^rd December 2020.

The Licensing Service have been working with the Council’s Communication team to promote the consultations with the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire trade to ensure that licence holders engage with the consultation. The Licensing Service receive updates relating to how much engagement has been happening within Bury, unfortunately at the moment there has been little engagement from the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire trade in Bury.

COVID 19 – TRACK AND TRACE

Officers of the Public Protection Service including licensing officers have undertaken training to assist Public Health England by contacting individuals who have tested positive for COVID 19 to ascertain who they have been in close contact with. This work will continue for the foreseeable future.

LICENSING HEARINGS PANEL -10^th September 2020

Members will recall that the Licensing Service received an application to review the premises licence from an interested party in respect of the Goats Gate, Radcliffe New Road Whitefield. This application attracted five representations. Members considered the evidence with care and following the evidence of all parties, having understood the application and equally understanding the representations made, the Panel therefore unanimously decided it reasonable, balanced, appropriate and proportionate, based on all of the evidence and in accordance with its duties, that in order to promote the licensing objectives set out in the Licensing Act 2003, in particular the prevention of public nuisance, that the 21 conditions put forward by the respondents would be attached to the licence.

The Licence Holder has appealed the Licensing Hearings Panel, this is currently being dealt with by the Council’s Legal Department

COVID 19

Following the announcement by Central Government regarding a second lockdown, licensing officers have been working additional hours to ensure that businesses are compliant.

They carried out the following between the 9^th until 15^th November 2020:

·         1 licensed restaurant/cafe open with breach (action to be taken this week)

·         2 pool halls closed

·         1 club closed

·         1 pub closed

·         8 restaurants closed

·         3 takeaways closed

·         7 takeaways open with issues – face coverings

·         3 takeaways given advice re QR codes, making front of premises appear closed for 10pm

·         16 restaurants open and in order

·         1 hotel open and in order

·         5 takeaways open and in order

TAXI MATTERS

The Licensing service have between the 9^th and 15^th November 2020 have undertaken the following actions in relation to Hackney Carriage and Private hire Vehicles:

·         Suspended 8 vehicles due to vehicles missing interim tests

·         Advised and warned a licence holder for signage missing on the vehicle

·         One vehicle licence has been surrendered.

Delegated decisions:

1.   That the contents of the report be noted.

2.   That all of the Licensing Team and other staff that have supported them be thanked for their hard work and dedication during the ongoing difficult period in relation to COVID 19.