To receive apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Kevin Pardy and Les Winwood.

To confirm the Minutes of the meetings held on 19^th June 2019 – To Follow.

Contact: Emily Marshall (01743 257717).

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 October 2019 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 am on Monday 30^th September 2019. 

No public questions or petitions had been 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.

Report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager is attached, marked 5.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

Consideration was given to the report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager in relation to a proposed new procedure for the conduct of Licensing Act hearings, including the Chair’s opening statement and the process to be followed during a hearing.  (Copy attached to the signed minutes).

In response to questions and comments from Members, the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager explained that the new procedure would be a ‘working document’ and could be amended as and when any issues arose; however, it was noted that no changes would be made without the prior approval of the Strategic Licensing Committee.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the replacement of the existing hearing procedure and Chair’s statement, as set out in Appendix A to the report, with the proposed new hearing procedure and Chair’s statement, as set out in Appendices B and C to the report, be agreed.

2.    That Council be recommended to remove the hearing process from the Council’s Constitution.

Report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager is attached, marked 6.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

Consideration was given to the report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager in relation to revised fees for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March2021 for licences and licensing related activities where the Authority has the discretion to determine the relevant fees.

The Transactional and Licensing Team Manager answered general questions from Members and provided clarification on enforcement, how fees are calculated and how our fees compare with other authorities.

RESOLVED:

1.               The Committee noted the statutory fees that Shropshire Council is required to charge in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003 as set out in Appendix A, in accordance with the Gambling Act 2005 as set out in Appendix B and in accordance with explosives and fireworks legislation as set out in Appendix C and recommended that the authority implements these fees (or if subject to statutory amendment, the relevant amended fees) on the 1 April 2020 and instructed the Trading Standards and Licensing Operations Manager to arrange for the fees to be included in the 2020/21 annual fees and charges reports that are presented to Cabinet and Council and further instructed the Trading Standards and Licensing Operations Manager to implement, as appropriate, any other statutory fees that may be brought into force during the 2020/21 financial year and to publish all relevant statutory fees on the licensing pages of the Council’s website as soon as is practicable. 

2.               The Committee agreed to implement, with any necessary modification and with effect from 1 April 2020, the proposed fees as set out in Appendices D, E, F, G and H that relate to those licences and licensing related activities where the authority has the discretion to determine the fees and instructed the Trading Standards and Licensing Operations Manager to arrange for the fees to be included in the 2020/21 annual fees and charges reports that are presented to Cabinet and Council and further instructed the Trading Standards and Licensing Operations Manager to publish the fees on the licensing pages of the Council’s website as soon as is practicable. 

3.               The Committee proposed to vary the fees relevant to driver, hackney carriage, private hire vehicle and operator licences as set out in Appendix F, with any necessary modification, and instructed the Trading Standards and Licensing Operations Manager, in accordance with the provisions of Section 70 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 to undertake the necessary work to consult and implement the fees.

4.               The Committee instructed the Trading Standards and Licensing Operations Manager to arrange for the proposed fees as set out in Appendix F, with any necessary modification, to be included in the 2020/21 annual fees and charges reports that are presented to Cabinet and Council and, where necessary, in respect of those fees a note is recorded in the said annual reports stating ‘Provisional fees under consultation fees to be confirmed by the Strategic Licensing Committee’. 

Report of the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager is attached, marked 7.

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 be noted.

An opportunity for Members to identify additional matters that ought to be brought before the Committee for consideration at future meetings.

The Committee were given the opportunity to identify additional matters that ought to be brought before the Committee for consideration.  No future agenda items were identified.

To note that the next meeting of the Strategic Licensing Committee will be held on Wednesday, 4^th December 2019 in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall, Shrewsbury.

RESOLVED:

It was noted that the next meeting of the Strategic Licensing Committee would be held on Wednesday, 4 December 2019.