To receive apolgies for absence

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Tremellen.

The Committee were informed that Councillor Milner would be late.

To confirm the Minutes of the meetings held on 7^th March 2018 and 17^th May 2018.

Contact: Shelley Davies (01743 257717)

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 7^th March 2018 and 17^th May 2018 be approved as a correct record.

To receive any public questions or petitions from the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.  The deadline for this meeting is 10.00 a.m. on 19^th June 2018.

There were no public questions or petitions received.

Members are reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

Members were reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

The Committee is asked to confirm the delegated powers of the Licensing and Safety Sub-Committee for the municipal year 2018 to 2019 (see minute 10 of the meeting held on 8^th June 2011) and to appoint its membership.  Members will be aware that this Sub-Committee’s powers are used mainly for dealing with matters concerning hackney carriage and private hire vehicles and drivers.

The Committee were asked to confirm the delegated powers to the Licensing and Safety Sub-Committee for the municipal year 2018 to 2019 (see minute 10 of the meeting held on 8th June 2011) and to appoint its membership.  Members were reminded that this Sub-Committee’s powers were mainly used for dealing with matters concerning hackney carriage and private hire vehicles and drivers.

The Solicitor informed the Committee that the appointment of substitutes would not be required.

RESOLVED:

1.      That, a standing Licensing and Safety Sub-Committee be established comprising 5 members of the Strategic Licensing Committee and with full delegated powers to discharge the Council’s Licensing and Safety functions as set out in Annex A of the report to the Strategic Licensing Committee, see Minute 10 of the meeting held on 8th June 2011.

2.      That the rules of the Licensing and Safety Sub-Committee be those that were set out in Annex B of the report to the Strategic Licensing Committee, see Minute 10 of the meeting held on 8th June 2011.

3.      That Councillors Simon Jones, Dean Carroll, Paul Milner, Harry Taylor and Roy Aldcroft be appointed to serve on the Sub-Committee.

To ease decision making and to follow procedures used in previous years the committee will be asked to pass the following resolution:

1.      Licensing Sub-Committees be established under the Licensing Act 2003 (the Act) to exercise all licensing functions as defined by the Act and all licensing functions under the Gambling Act 2005 and any other related matters which may lawfully be delegated to them.

2.      Each of the said sub-committees shall comprise three members of the Strategic Licensing Committee. The method of appointment to such sub-committees and procedures to be followed be as that presently set out in Part 4 of the Council’s constitution.

To ease decision making and follow procedures used in previous years, it was proposed and duly seconded and

          RESOLVED:

1.           That Licensing Sub-Committees be established under the Licensing Act 2003 (the Act) to exercise all licensing functions as defined by the Act and all licensing functions under the Gambling Act 2005 and any other related matters which may lawfully be delegated to them.

2.           That each of the Sub-Committees in (a) above shall comprise three members of the Strategic Licensing Committee, and the method of appointment to such sub-committees and procedures to be followed be as that presently set out in Part 4 of the Council’s constitution.

The Technology and Communications Manager will provide a verbal update.

The Technology and Communications Manager provided an update on the process of digital transformation in relation to licensing.   The Committee were informed that the aim of digital transformation was the automation of services/process.  For licensing there would be two online portals, My Shropshire Residents and My Shropshire Business.  An external organisation was supporting the Council to develop and build templates for complicated forms.

The process would mean changes to the way the Council works, but would result in savings in terms of time and money but importantly would provide an improved service to residents and businesses within Shropshire.

In response to questions relating to cyber security the Technology and Communications Manager assured the Committee that there were cyber security specialists employed at Shropshire Council and the most up to date software was in place. 

Finally the Committee were informed that My Shropshire for Residents would be live in October 2018 and My Shropshire for Business would be live in early 2019. 

The Committee thanked the Technology and Communications Manager for the update.

RESOLVED:

That the update on Digital Transformation be noted.

Report of the Health Protection Team Manager is attached, marked 8. 

Contact: Matthew Aldridge (01743 251700)

Consideration was given to a report of the report of the Health Protection Team Manager – Regulatory Services (copy attached to the signed minutes), detailing the exercise of delegated functions in respect of the safety of sports grounds, undertaken by the Public Protection service over the past year.

The Health Protection/Prevention Team Manager responded to a number of general questions from Members and also explained the role of the Health and Safety Advisory Group which enabled coordination with other agencies such as the fire and ambulance services, he also confirmed that a holistic approach was taken when doing safety inspections.

RESOLVED:

That the report of the Health Protection Team Manager be noted.

Report of the Transactional and Licensing Manager is attached, marked 9.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

Consideration was given to the report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager (copy attached to the signed minutes).  The report set out the single representation that had been received from consultees following the period of formal consultation on the Gambling Act 2005 – Policy Statement. 

In response to a question from a Member, the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager reported that Shropshire was not an area eligible to launch a competition for a casino licence and as far as she was aware there were no plans to change this in the future. 

RESOLVED:

1.           That the Committee notes the representation received following the formal consultation on the draft Gambling Policy Statement and agrees the officers’ comments in Appendix 1 in response to the comments made and recommends to the Council that the policy statement is published and advertised by the Operations Manager – Trading Standards & Licensing in accordance with the provisions of the Act and that the policy statement will take effect from 31 January 2019.

2.           That the Committee delegates to the Operations Manager – Trading Standards & Licensing, in consultation with the Chair of the Strategic Licensing Committee, the authority to amend any typographical errors and/or administrative inconsistencies in the proposed Gambling Policy Statement as set out in Appendix 1 prior to the policy statement being presented to the Council for final approval.

Report of the Trading Standards and Licensing Operations Manager is attached, marked 10.

Contact: Frances Darling (01743 251715)

Consideration was given to the report of the Trading Standards and Licensing Operations Manager, which set out the proposed statement of licensing policy for 2019 to 2024 upon which the Council proposes to consult (copy attached to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED:

1.           That the revised Licensing Act 2003 Proposed Statement of Licensing Policy, 2019 to 2024 as agreed by the Committee and set out in Appendix 1, be approved for consultation.              

2.           That the ‘Premises Licence Applications – Completing the Operating Schedule and Plan of the Premises Guidance’ as agreed by the Committee and set out in Appendix 2, be approved for consultation.

Report of the Transactional and Licensing Manager is attached, marked 11.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

Consideration was given to the report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager (copy attached to the signed minutes) which provided the Committee with an update on the licences issued and enforcement action taken since the scrap metal dealers act 2013 came into effect as requested at a previous meeting.

The Committee thanked the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager for the update.

RESOLVED:

That the position, as set out in the report, be noted. 

Report of the Transactional and Licensing Manager is attached, marked 12.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

Consideration was given to the report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager which set out the way in which the Council would enhance the visibility of and access to Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles across the administrative area of Shropshire Council in accordance with the provisions set out in Section 165 and Section 167 of the Equality Act 2010.

In response to questions, the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager confirmed that the standard reference wheelchair was being used as a starting point and this would fit into all Shropshire Council wheelchair accessible vehicles, part of the application/licence renewal process included checking at the time of inspection that a driver could secure a wheelchair in the vehicle.  The list would be publicised on the Shropshire Council website.

RESOLVED:

1.           That the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager undertake the necessary work to establish the Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles that will be included on the List of Designated Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles. 

2.           That the publication of the List of Designated Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles as set out in the report be approved.

Report of the Transactional and Licensing Manager is attached, marked 13.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

Councillor Dean Carroll left the meeting at this point.

Consideration was given to the report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager (copy attached to the signed minutes), which set out proposals to consult on the removal of the five existing Hackney Carriage Zones and apply a single Hackney Carriage Licensing regime throughout the administrative area of Shropshire Council with effect from 1 April 2019.

RESOLVED:

That a consultation on the removal of the five existing Hackney Carriage Zones and a single Hackney Carriage licensing regime throughout the administrative area of Shropshire Council with effect from 1 April 2019 be undertaken.

          Councillor Ed Potter left the meeting at this point.           

Report of the Transactional and Licensing Manager is attached, marked 14.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

Consideration was given to the report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager (copy attached to the signed minutes) which outlined the proposed consultation relating to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2019 to 2023. 

RESOLVED:

That the revised Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2019 to 2023 as agreed by the Committee and set out in Appendix 1 be approved for consultation.  

Report of the Transactional and Licensing Manager is attached, marked 15.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

Consideration was given to the report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager in relation to delegated powers to issue and amend licences.  (Copy attached to the signed minutes)

RESOLVED:

That the report of the Transactional and Licensing Manager be noted. 

To note the records of proceedings of the Licensing Act Sub-Committee meetings for January 2018 to April 2018.

Minutes of the following meetings are attached for the Committees information:

·         17^th January 2018

·         17^th April 2018

Contact: Emily Marshall (01743 257717) or Shelley Davies (01743 257718)

The records of proceedings of the Licensing Act Sub-Committee meetings from January 2018 to April 2018 were received by Members. (Copy attached to the signed minutes). 

RESOLVED:
That the records of proceedings of the Licensing Act Sub-Committee meetings from January 2018 to April 2018 be noted.

To note that the next meeting of the Strategic Licensing Committee will be held on 3^rd October 2018 in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall, Shrewsbury. 

RESOLVED:

It was noted that the next meeting of the Strategic Licensing Committee would be held on Wednesday, 3^rd October 2018.