Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies.

Apologies were received from Councillors McEwing, Rayment and Cunio.

The Chair informed  the committee that Councillor Drake had retired due to ill health and members passed a vote of thanks for his co-operation and hard work as a valued member of the Licensing Committee.

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 14^th July 2011 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th July 2011 be approved and signed as a correct record.   (Copy of minutes appended to the agenda and circulated with the signed minutes).

Report of the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services for the Licensing Committee to consider a request for the variation of the table of fares for the hire of hackney carriages and to determine whether to proceed to public consultation, attached.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services concerning a request for the variation of the table of fares for the hire of hackney carriages and to determine whether to proceed to public consultation.  (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

Mr Hall and Mr Martin, Southampton Hackney Carriage Association, Mr Johnson and Mr May, Southampton Taxi Association, were present and with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The following was noted:-

• that this was not a decision-making meeting, but a request to go to public consultation on the trade request for a variation of hackney carriage fares;  and
• that under Additional Charges on Appendix 2, - More than 4 Passengers – it was clarified that if there were more than four passengers, the additional charge of £2.00 would be a one-off for hiring and not per additional person.

RESOLVED

(i)  that the request for the variation of the table of fares for the hire of hackney carriages in Southampton be approved in principle.

(ii)  that the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services be authorised to advertise the proposed table of fares, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, subject to the following corrections and amendments proposed by the trade representatives:-

·  Tariff 2 – for the first 110 metres (120.3 yards) or part thereof - £3.30.

·  Tariff 4 as proposed to be removed and Tariffs 4 and 5 as on the current table of fares to be substituted without alteration, as follows:

·  TARIFF 4 – Christmas - For any hiring begun after 11.00 p.m. on the 24th December and before 6.00 a.m. on the 27th December:  One and a half times the rate of Tariff 1

·  TARIFF 5 – New Year’s Eve - For any hiring begun after 11.00 p.m. on the 31st December and before 6.00 a.m. on the 1st January.  Twice the rate of Tariff 1;  and 

(iii)  that subject to any objections to the advertisement, the variation shall come into effect on 27^th April 2012.

Report of the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services, seeking consideration for the adoption of the provisions for the licensing of sexual entertainment venues and the preliminary public consultation, attached.

The Committee considered the  report of the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services, seeking consideration of the adoption of the provisions for the licensing of sexual entertainment venues and the preliminary public consultation.  (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

It was noted that if it was determined that the new SEV provisions not be adopted, the legislation required that the Council carry out an extensive public consultation annually and there would be an ongoing unfunded resource implication for the consultation procedures.

RESOLVED

(i)  that the report be noted;

(ii)  that Council be recommended to formally adopt the legislation requiring sexual entertainment venues to be licensed; 

(iii)  that if Council resolved to adopt the legislation, to set the date on which the licensing provisions would come into effect;  and

(iv)  to delegate the following responsibilities as set out below:-

·  the statutory function (to include the making of policy, standard conditions and the setting of fees) to the Licensing Committee;

·  the power to determine the applications made for sexual entertainment venue licences to the Licensing (General) Sub-Committee;  and

·  the arrangements for publication of statutory notices and powers to approve applications for renewal where no valid objections have been received to the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services.

Report of the Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services, requesting that the Committee authorises a consultation exercise on the review of the policy and condition with a report back to Committee in order to assess whether amendment of either is now necessary, attached.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of HR, Legal and Democratic Services requesting authorisation of a consultation exercise on the review of the policy and condition with a report back to Committee in order to assess whether amendment of either was necessary. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

Mr Hall and Mr Martin, Southampton Hackney Carriage Association, Mr Johnson and Mr May, Southampton Taxi Association, were present and with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED

(i)  that the issues be considered;

(ii)  that a consultation exercise on the review of the policy and condition with a report back to  Committee in order to assess whether amendment of either was necessary, be authorised;  and

(iii)  that in the interim the policy and conditions should continue to be applied and remained in force.