Agenda and draft minutes

Licensing and Regulatory Committee - Tuesday, 28th January, 2025 10.00 am

Venue: Council Chamber, County Hall, The Rhadyr USK. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of interest

Minutes:

Item 5: Licensing Fees 2025 - County Councillor Armand Watts declared a personal, non-prejudicial interest as he had recently applied for a license to Forest of Dean District Council.

2.

Confirmation of minutes pdf icon PDF 120 KB

1.     17th September 2024

2.     4th October 2024 (Special)

3.     6th November 2024 (Sub Committee)

4.     2nd January 2025 (Sub Committee)

5.     15th January 2025 (Sub Committee)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meetings held on the following dates were approved as an accurate record:

 

1.     17th September 2024

2.     4th October 2024 (Special)

3.     6th November 2024 (Sub Committee)

4.     2nd January 2025 (Sub Committee)

5.     15th January 2025 (Sub Committee)

 

3.

Licensing Act 2025 Policy Statement pdf icon PDF 135 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

We considered the proposed ‘Draft Licensing Policy 2025’ prior to submission to full council to agree adoption.  The report was presented by the Principal Licensing Officer.  Following presentation of the report, Members were invited to ask questions.

 

https://www.youtube.com/live/Xjl__v3NFIs?si=MmrTmliKInZgfBCJ&t=145

             

In line with the report recommendations, Members reviewed the proposed updated Licensing Act policy statement for the period 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2030 (changes highlighted in red), which is attached as Appendix A and approved the commencement of the statutory consultation process prior to determining the new statement.

4.

Licensing Fees 2025 pdf icon PDF 171 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

We considered the Authority’s licence fees for 2025-26. The report was presented by the Principal Licensing Officer. Following presentation of the report, Members were invited to ask questions:

 

https://www.youtube.com/live/Xjl__v3NFIs?si=TdOrtCb493ORwMEW&t=404

 

          As per the report recommendations, the Committee agreed to:

 

    1.       Approve the fees set out in Appendix A to this report, entitled “Schedule of Licence Fees for 2025-26”, subject, where relevant, to any required public notice.

 

2.       That any objections, duly made, regarding fees for the grant of licences for hackney carriage and private hire vehicles be brought back to Committee at the earliest opportunity for due consideration.

 

5.

Licensing Committee - Separation of Functions pdf icon PDF 141 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Principal Licensing Officer presented the report on Separation of Licensing Committee functions.  The report provided members with details of the proposed arrangements to reconfigure the functions of the existing Licensing and Regulatory Committee as set out in the report, and considered seeking endorsement of those proposals before they are reported to Council for approval.  Following presentation of the report, Members were invited to ask questions:

 

https://www.youtube.com/live/Xjl__v3NFIs?si=nfbu6SLPwNNm9nTf&t=1008

 

The Committee requested a further report with clarification from the Legal Department to include why separation of functions is required for good governance and if two Chairs/Vice Chairs would be required.  The additional report should be considered prior to making a decision about separation of functions and onward consideration by Full Council.

 

 

6.

Next Meeting: 25th March 2025 at 10.00am