Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds

Contact: Governance Services  37 88662

Items
No. Item

86.

Appeals Against Refusal of Inspection of Documents

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded)

 

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

 

Minutes:

There were no appeals against the refusal of inspection of documents.

87.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

 

2  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

 

3  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

 

  RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of those parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information

 

Minutes:

That, in accordance with Regulation 4 of The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as exempt on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information so designated as follows:-

 

Policing and the Night Time Economy – The report and supplementary information (See Minute No. 88 below) were deemed exempt from publication in accordance with Access to Information Rule 10.4 (3) as they included information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. In those circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information. (Minute No. 94 refers)

 

88.

Late Items

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration

 

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes)

 

Minutes:

Although there were no formal late items of business the Chair did accept the inclusion of Supplementary Information in respect of Item No. 9 “Policing and the Night Time Economy”. The information was not available at the time of the agenda publication and it was considered that the information now submitted  would provide more in depth details of the item to be considered (Minute No.94 refers)

89.

Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests made at the meeting.

90.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence (If any)

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: N Buckley, A Khan, C Townsley and K Groves.

91.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 240 KB

To approve the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 9th January 2018.

 

(Copy attached)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the previous meeting held on 9th January 2018 were submitted for accuracy and approval.

 

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 9th January 2018 were accepted as a true and correct record.

92.

Matters Arising from the Minutes

To consider any matters arising from the Minutes.

Minutes:

There were no issues raised under matters arising.

93.

Licensing Annual Report 2017 pdf icon PDF 143 KB

To consider a report by the Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration which presents the Licensing Annual Report for 2017.

 

The report provides information and statistics on the type and number of licensing applications processed by Entertainment Licensing and Taxi and Private Hire Licensing.  It also provides information about the enforcement activity and liaison work undertaken by both Sections.

 

(Report attached)

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration submitted the Licensing Annual Report 2017 which provided a summary of the work undertaken in 2017 by Entertainment Licensing and Taxi and Private Hire Licensing.

 

The report provided information and statistics on the type and number of licensing applications processed by Entertainment Licensing and the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Sections. The report also set out details of enforcement activity and liaison work undertaken by both sections.

 

Appended to the report was a copy of the Licensing Annual Report 2017 (Appendix 1)

 

The Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration presented the report and responded to Members questions and queries.

 

Discussion ensued on the contents of the report which included:

 

Entertainment Licensing

 

·  Evening and Night time Economy

·  Strategy and Policy

·  Proactive work

·  Reactive work

·  Licensing Act Application Statistics

·  Gambling Statistics

·  Large Casino

·  Sex Establishments

·  Outdoor Events

 

Taxi and Private Hire Licensing

 

·  Enforcement

·  Safeguarding

·  Service Improvement

·  Licensing Statistics

·  Decisions

·  Refusals and Revocations

·  Suspensions

·  Complaints

 

It was noted there were 109 applicants and drivers from the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire trade who had yet to receive the compulsory safeguarding training (the vast majority of the 109 were applicants, not existing drivers). Members queried what actions were being taken to ensure all driver received the necessary training.

 

In responding the Section Head, Taxi and Private Hire Licensing said existing drivers would be invited to attend a training session on 3 different occasions, failure to attend may result in the suspension of their driver licence.

A number of Members expressed the view that three chances to attend a training session before a suspension letter was issued appeared to be too lenient on the part of the Council.

 

The Section Head, Taxi and Private Hire Licensing said failure to attend a training session may be because the applicants contact details were not up to date and care had to be taken because drivers have the right to appeal against the suspension of their licence. It should also be noted that approximately 70 new driver licence applications are received each month.

 

Reference was made to late night taxi and private hire journeys and the issue of customers being overcharged. Members queried which category of driver this mainly applied to.

 

In responding the Section Head, Taxi and Private Hire Licensing said predominantly it was Private Hire Drivers where such allegations were made but recently new tariffs had been introduced which may cause confusion to customers.

 

Members took the view that it was important that drivers confirmed the approximate fare before beginning the journey.

 

Referring to Taxi and Private Hire Licensing complaints Members queried the increase in Driver Conduct complaints rising from 92 in 2016 to 136 in 2017 and sought more clarity.

 

The Section Head, Taxi and Private Hire Licensing said that Driver Conduct covered a large range of issues including: Poor language skills, failing to comply with operator conditions, lack of stickers, parking complaints, radio should be switched off once the journey had begun and poor customer care. It  ...  view the full minutes text for item 93.

94.

Licensing Committee Work Programme pdf icon PDF 355 KB

To note the contents of the Licensing Committee Work Programme for 2018/19.

 

(Copy attached)

Minutes:

Members considered the contents of the Licensing Committee Work Programme.

 

It was noted that currently that were no items listed for the meeting scheduled for 3rd April 2018.

 

RESOLVED – That the contents of the Licensing Committee Work Programme for 2018 be approved

95.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

To note that the next meeting will take place on Tuesday 3rd April 2018 at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

Minutes:

RESOLVED – To note that the next meeting will take place on Tuesday 3rd April 2018 at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

Closed Session

 

(At this point on the agenda, the meeting went into closed session)

96.

Policing and the Night Time Economy pdf icon PDF 126 KB

To receive a presentation from Sergeant Martin Mynard, West Yorkshire Police on the issues of “Policing and the Night Time Economy”

 

(Report attached)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members received a Presentation from Sergeant Martin Mynard and PC Cath Arkle, West Yorkshire Police, who spoke about Policing and the night time economy.

 

A summary of the issues/ incidents involving licensed premises principally in City Centre was presented.

 

(Due to the confidential nature of the information being presented, this part of the meeting was held in closed session)

 

The Chair thanked Sergeant Mynard and PC Arkle for their attendance and presentation commenting that the session had been informative and interesting.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(i)  That the contents of the presentation be noted

 

(ii)  That a further presentation on policing and the night time economy be scheduled for September 2018.

 

 

97.

Chair's Closing Remarks

Minutes:

The Chair said that given the fact that there were currently no items of business scheduled for the 3rd April meeting, today’s meeting may be the final one of this current Membership. Councillor Selby said he’s Chaired Licensing Committee for the past two years and he had enjoyed and valued the support of both Members and officers.

 

Members joined the Chair in expressing their best wishes to those Members standing down and every success to those Members seeking re-election in the forthcoming Municipal Elections.