Skip to main content

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Rooms 18.01 - 18.03 - 18th Floor, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP

Contact: Tristan Fieldsend, Senior Committee and Councillor Liaison Officer  Email:  tfieldsend@westminster.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

9.

MEMBERSHIP

To report any changes to the membership.

Minutes:

1.1          Apologies were received from Councillors Concia Albert, Laila Cunningham, Louise Hyams and Iman Less.

 

10.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any pecuniary interests or any other significant interest in matters on this agenda.

 

Minutes:

2.1      There were no declarations of interest.

 

11.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 217 KB

To sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 25 July 2022.

 

Minutes:

3.1      RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on Monday 25 July 2022 were signed as a correct record of proceedings.

 

12.

Appointment of Licensing Sub-Committee Chair pdf icon PDF 94 KB

To receive a report from the Senior Committee and Councillor Co-ordinator.

 

Minutes:

4.1      RESOLVED:

 

That Councillor Angela Piddock be elected a Licensing Sub-Committee Chair.

 

13.

Licensing Service Fee Review 2022-2023 pdf icon PDF 248 KB

To receive a report from the Head of Service for Licensing & Regulatory Services.

 

Minutes:

5.1      The Head of Service for Licensing and Regulatory Services introduced a report setting out the fee review that had been undertaken by the Licensing Service for all licensing regimes where the council could set a fee. It was explained that the proposed amended fees would enable the Council to recover its reasonable costs for administering, monitoring, and enforcing the Council’s licensing regimes.

 

5.2      Members were informed that when setting fees there was a statutory requirement to consider the income received for a licensing scheme compared to the overall cost of delivering the scheme. The Committee noted that the fee level must be set to recover the actual costs incurred by the Council in running the regime but not to make a profit.

 

5.3      The Committee considered how some of the proposed fee increases were quite considerable. In response it was explained that the fees for processing each type of application were estimated by assessing the time it took for each step in the process from receipt of application to determination. This included the time taken by internal consultees, such as the Environmental Health Consultation Team and Registrars.

 

5.4      With regard to isolated pitch fees and exhibition charges the Committee was interested to learn they were last reviewed in June 2006. A review of these fees had been scheduled but due to the pandemic this had been delayed. The Committee was pleased to note that the review of these fees would commence shortly and a paper on these fees and charges would be coming to a future Committee meeting.

 

5.5      RESOLVED:

 

That the proposed fees attached to the report be approved so that they commence on the 1 April 2023.

 

14.

Update on Licensing Appeals

To receive a verbal update from from the Principal Solicitor and Manager (Legal Services).

 

Minutes:

6.1      The Committee received a report from the Principal Licensing and Highways Solicitor, which provided a summary of recent appeal results. The Committee noted the summary which included details of the six appeals that Legal Services had been dealing with since July 2022, two of which had now been withdrawn, one settled and three were pending determination. The Committee was informed that further details of the outcomes of these would be provided once the appeals had progressed.

 

6.2      The Committee expressed its thanks to Legal Services for its work on appeals and the excellent advice they provided to Committee members.

 

6.3      RESOLVED:

 

That the report be noted.

 

15.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

7.1      Following a recent case heard by a Licensing Sub-Committee the Committee was interested to learn how the Council monitored licensing breaches. A detailed explanation was provided on the process and the reasons why in that particular instance the breach had not been identified sooner. The Committee was pleased to note that going forward it was intended to use a new IT system which would highlight such instances and prevent these types of breaches. In the short term though everything was being reviewed to try and identify any other Premises which may be breaching conditions. An update on the performance of the licensing service would be provided at an upcoming meeting.

 

7.2      The Committee also discussed and agreed moving the start time of future meetings to 6.30pm.