Agenda and minutes

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)

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

The agenda contained no exempt information however the Committee was advised that it may be necessary for the meeting to move into closed session should Members wish to discuss the details of the Event Management Plan for the 2022 Leeds Festival.

No late items of business were added to the agenda.

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

Agenda item 8 Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Results of Consultation on Suitability (Minor Motoring Convictions) – Councillor Forsaith reported that she had taken part in the consultation prior to joining the Licensing Committee and as such, she indicated that she would withdraw from the meeting prior to consideration of that item. (minute 18 refers).

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Flynn, Councillor Garthwaite and Councillor Smart.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 27^th May 2022

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting held 27^th May 2022 be agreed as a correct record.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory, which advises Members of the progress of the multi-agency meetings and the Event Management Plan for the Leeds Festival 2022. The report recommends that the approval of the final Event Management Plan be delegated to the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory.

(Please note that the meeting may move into close session when discussing the Event Management Plan)

The report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory presented the Committee with a summary of the draft Event Management Plan for the 2022 Leeds Festival.  The Committee was asked to consider the report which recommended that approval of the final Event Management Plan be delegated to the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory. 

A summary of the Event Management Plan contents was appended to the report along with a copy of the Premises Licence.

The following were in attendance:

·  Melvin Benn, Managing Director Festival Republic

·  Jeanie Leach, Licensing Assistant Festival Republic

·  Lucy Kinsella, Licensing Co-ordinator Festival Republic

The Committee received a presentation from Festival Republic which provided an overview of the traffic management arrangements for the 2022 festival. In response to Members queries and comments, clarification was provided on the location of the taxi and private hire pick up and drop off points. The Committee also heard details of the partnership work undertaken with the charity “Music Declares an Emergency” to improve the sustainability of the festival and to minimise its environmental impact.

At this stage of the meeting, Members were asked to consider moving into private session as the discussion was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information, particularly information relating to the financial or business affairs of the Event Organiser and its associates and also information relating to action taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime.

RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the following part of the meeting as discussion was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information, particularly information relating to the financial or business affairs of the Event Organiser and its associates and also information relating to action taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime.

At the conclusion of discussions in private session, the Committee resumed in public and Members discussed planning for extreme weather conditions, specifically heat, and facilities for staff on site. 

RESOLVED – That approval of the final Event Management Plan for the Leeds Festival 2022 be delegated to the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory.

(Councillor Forsaith withdrew from the meeting at this point)

To consider the report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory, on the outcome of consultation on proposals to change one of the criteria within the council’s Suitability and Convictions policy for taxi and private hire licence holders relating to points on individuals’ driving licences for minor motoring convictions. The report sets out options to consider with a view to making a recommendation to the Executive Board.

The report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory presented the Committee with the outcome of consultation undertaken on proposals to change one of the criteria within the Council’s Suitability and Convictions Policy for Taxi and Private Hire licence holders in relation to points on an individual’s driving licence for minor motoring convictions.

The report included a summary of the consultation responses received and sample questionnaire, comments and objections received along with the Council’s response to the comments and a copy of a proposed decision-making flow chart. Additionally, the report set out some options for the Committee to consider with a view to making a recommendation to the Executive Board:

The Committee received a presentation from the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Manager which included the following key matters:

·  The development of a regional and consistent approach across West Yorkshire and York (WY&Y) to determine an individual’s suitability to hold a taxi or private hire licence, in the context of the Institute of Licensing (IOL) national suitability framework 2018.

·  In line with the IOL national framework, Leeds and the other WY&Y authorities had consulted on the threshold for refusing a licence at 7 points for minor motoring convictions. The other WY&Y authorities have adopted and implemented policies with the 7 point threshold, based on the individual’s record for the last 3 years.

·  Following representation from the taxi and private hire trade in Leeds, the minor motoring convictions criterion from Leeds’ previous convictions policy was retained, therefore currently the Council may refuse or revoke a licence at 12 points for accumulated minor motoring convictions. Separately a review of the minor motoring convictions criterion was conducted by a working group drawn from officers and stakeholders with a cross-section of views.

·  At the conclusion of the review, the working group recommended the Council consult on a revised criteria for minor motoring convictions and the Executive Board meeting of September 2021 supported that approach. Consultation was undertaken during October and November 2021 on the following proposals:

Ø  Applications for a taxi or private hire driver licence be refused when an applicant has 7 or more points for minor convictions showing on their driving licence;

Ø  Existing licence holders reaching 7 or 8 points for minor convictions will receive a warning and may be required to attend training; and

Ø  Existing licence holders reaching 9 or more points for minor convictions may have their licence refused or revoked.

·  The methodology and results of the consultation were presented in detail in Appendices A and B of the submitted report.

·  Since the initial West Yorkshire wide consultation in 2018/19, the Department for Transport issued Statutory Guidance for taxi and private hire licensing, which included a section on suitability, advising licensing authorities they must have regard to the guidance and have clear and compelling reasons for departing from the standards in the guidance.

·  The proposal which Leeds consulted on in 2021 could be regarded as less stringent than the original 2020  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

To note the date and time of the next meetring as Tuesday 6^th September 2022 at 10.00 am.

RESOLVED – To note the date and time of the next meeting as Tuesday 6^th September 2022 at 10.00 am