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:

The Licensing Service had dealt with a number of compliance and enforcement matters between the 7^th April 2025 and 25^th May 2025.

Licensing Hearings Sub Committee

On the 24^th April 2025, an application for the grant of a new premises licence was considered by the Sub-Committee in respect of the Engine Shed, Rowlands Road, Summerseat, which had attracted a representation from an interested party. Members granted the application as applied for.

Parklife / Oasis Upcoming Events

The Deputy Licensing Officer had been attending meetings for both upcoming events and feeding into the Community Impact Plan. Officers would be working for all events, and work had started in the way of advice visits to licensed premises discussing what their plans are for the events. Letters have been sent out to residents and businesses regarding Street Trading during the event.

Operation Avro

Operation Avro was a partnership initiative that took place on 10/04/2025. This involved Greater Manchester Police, Licensing, Trading Standards, Immigration and a detection dog conducting proactive visits to several vape shops and off licences. During these visits licensing breaches were identified and a large quantity of illicit tobacco, illegal vapes and counterfeit goods were seized. This included 384 packs of Cigarettes (7480 sticks), 43 packets of hand rolling tobacco (2.15 kg) and 1218 vapes. In total £25,000 of items were seized, protecting public health from these unsafe items.

Taxi Driver Safety Information

Following intelligence received from Greater Manchester Police regarding an increase in vehicle theft, the Licensing Service had sent an email to all licensed drivers, private hire operators and trade representatives to inform them of the intelligence. The email was included in the agenda pack for Members information.

GM Engagement Exercise

Following the round table event that took place on the 16^th April 2025 when representatives of the hackney carriage and private hire trades were present to communicate the position that all 10 Leaders had discussed and to officially launch the campaign; ‘Backing Our Taxis: Local. Licensed. Trusted’. Many representatives from the Bury were in attendance and the proposals

were discussed. The online survey about GM Licensing was now live.

The survey results would inform a plan to make licensing in Greater Manchester the first choice for drivers, vehicle owners and operators and will remain available until the 2^nd June 2025.

As at the 2^nd June, 240 responses from the taxi trade in Bury had been received along with 4,362 from across Greater Manchester.

Immediate Revocation of a Private Hire Driver

A private hire driver had declared a conviction for driving or attempting to drive with an alcohol level above the legal limit. The driver also failed to declare the conviction within 24 hours as required by his private hire driver conditions. The Licensing Service consulted with the Chair of this Committee which resulted in his private hire driving licence being immediately revoked in the interests of Public Safety.

A Member of the committee asked if there was a process to issue communications to local Councillors on operations taking place in their ward if questions were raised from local residents. It was reported that some information cant be divulged for possible legal implications but limited communications could indicate for example the number of stores visited rather than which individual shops so not to prejudice any prosecutions.

Delegated decision:

It was agreed that the report be noted.