Agenda item

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)

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 was suggested that given the large number of journeys undertaken each year it was inevitable some complaints would be received.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That the contents of the Licensing Annual Report 2017 be noted

(ii)  To note that the report will be considered by full Council on 28^th  March 2018