To receive apolgies for absence

16.1    Apologies for absence were received from Councillors David Evans, Duncan Kerr, Pam Moseley and Vivienne Parry.

16.2    Councillor Mike Isherwood substituted for Councillor Kerr and Councillor Caroline Bagnall substituted for Councillor Moseley

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a true record

17.1    The minutes of the meeting held on 4 October 2023 had been circulated.

17.2    RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Strategic Licencing Committee held on 4 October  2023 be agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman

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 5.00pm on Friday 5 January 2024

18.1    No public questions had been received.  The Chair advised the meeting that representations received after the agenda was published had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting and had been placed on the council website.

Members are reminded that they must declare their disclosable pecuniary interests and other registrable or non-registrable interests in any matter being considered at the meeting as set out in Appendix B of the Members’ Code of Conduct and consider if they should leave the room prior to the item being considered. Further advice can be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

19.1    Councillor Mary Davies declared an interest in agenda item 5 on the grounds of perceived bias due to her employment.  She stated that she would take no part in the debate or voting.

Report of the Head of Business and Consumer Protection is attached

Contact: Frances Darling  01743 251715

20.1    Members received the report of the Head of Business and Consumer Protection which set out proposed changes to the advertising sections of the current Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2023 – 2027 to permit the national flag of the United Kingdom to be displayed on hackney carriages and private hire vehicles and to be used in the promotion of any private hire operator business or any other business offering a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle service..

20.2    The Transactional Management and Licensing – Team Manager  drew Members attention to the Equality, Social Inclusion and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) attached as appendix 2 to the report in particular with reference to the Protected Characteristic groupings defined in the Equality Act 2010.

20.3    A Member commented that he felt that the changes should not be made as they were contrary to the spirit of the Equalities Act and could be seen as divisive as it was only allowing the flag of a single nation.  He added that if the changes were to be made, they should include the opportunity to display all nations flags not just the Union Flag.

20.4    After further debate it was RESOLVED:

That the Committee approves the changes to the advertising sections of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2023 – 2027, as set out at Appendix 1 (column C), to take effect from 12 January 2024, and instructs the Head of Business and Consumer Protection to arrange for the amendments to be made and to publish the Policy containing the revised provisions as soon as is reasonably practicable.

To note that the next scheduled meeting of the Strategic Licensing Committee will be held on Wednesday 13 March 2024 at 10.00am

21.1    Members were reminded that the next scheduled meeting of the Strategic Licensing Committee would be held on Wednesday 13 March 2024 at 10.00am