To receive apologies for absence from Members.  

Cllr J McCarthy, Cllr J Lewis

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008.

None

The Team Manager Licensing presented a report which proposed the membership of the Licensing Committee Sub Committees following the Annual Meeting of Council 2019.

She explained that the proposals were required to effectively discharge the functions of the authority in respect of general licensing applications, the majority of which related to taxi licensing. The range of functions could be found within the Councils Constitution in part 3.

She explained that at the Annual Meeting of Council on the 15^th May, a report was received establishing the membership of the licensing Act 2003 Committee and the Licensing Committee.

The Team Manager Licensing therefore proposed that the Committee continued with the existing arrangements and approve the formation of the two panels sitting on a rota basis.

The Team Manager Licensing advised Members of a recent query by a Member on the political balance of the Sub Committees but explained that there was no requirement for such on Sub Committees as the main Committee already adhered to the required political balance.

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

(1)  Approved the formation of the Sub Committees as below;

Licensing Sub (A)

•            Cllr D Lewis (Chairperson)

•            Cllr T Beedle

•            Cllr R Collins

•            Cllr M Kearn

•            Cllr D Owen

•            Cllr A Pucella

•            Cllr J Williams

Licensing Sub (B)

•            Cllr PA Davies (Vice Chairperson)

•            Cllr RM James

•            Cllr B Jones

•            Cllr JE Lewis

•            Cllr J McCarthy

•            Cllr G Thomas

•            Cllr A Hussain

(2)  Continued with the existing arrangements of two panels sitting on a rota basis.

In the event that the Chair or Vice Chair were not able to attend their respective Sub Committee meeting, a Chairperson would be elected by those in attendance.

The Licensing Policy Officer presented a report which provided details of the revised guidance issued by the institute of licensing on determining the suitability of applicants and licensees in the hackney and private hire trades and sought approval to implement the guidance.

He stated that in April 2018, the Institute of Licensing (IOL) published a document titled ‘Guidance on determining the suitability of applicants and licensees in the hackney and private hire trades’ (“The Guidance”) which was attached at Appendix A of the report.

He explained that the content of the guidance was subject to widespread national consultation with stakeholders including Councillors, Licensing Officers, Lawyers, the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Trades, Academics, the Probation Service and the Police.

The Licensing Policy Officer explained that this policy will be adopted along the Shared Regulatory Services and that Bridgend would be the first Local Authority to do so.

The Licensing Policy Officer referred Members to the recommendation at 9.1 of the report and welcomed any questions.

A Member asked if there were any changes which related to how convictions were obtained by the Licensing Officers.

The Legal Officer explained that there would be no change and that the Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) and Licence check through the DVLA would be the standard methods used.

RESOLVED: That the Licensing Committee withdrew the current policy which related to the relevance of convictions and licensing of ex-offenders, and to adopt the new guidance ON determining the suitability of applicants and licensees in the hackney and private hire trades attached at Appendix B for licence applications received after this meeting (not after 3 June 2019 as detailed in the report)

To consider any other item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Rule 4 of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None