Agenda and draft minutes

Announcement on procedural matters.

The Chair opened the meeting, introduced Committee Members and Officers in attendance, and outlined procedural matters of the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillors Allen, Atkins and Wormington.

To receive any declarations of interest by members in items on the agenda.  For any advice on declarations of interest, please contact the Monitoring Officer.

There were no declarations of interest made.

Members should indicate which item(s) they wish to speak on and the nature of their concern/question/request for clarification.

There were no visiting Members registered to speak.

RESOLVED – That that the minutes of the previous meeting dated 27 June 2023 be approved as a correct record.

Zoe Martin, Animal Licensing Officer presented the report as per the agenda.

Questions from Members and Officer clarification included:

                 i.          The report was taken as read.

RESOLVED:

1.     That the outcome of the 8-week consultation responses on the revised Animal Licensing Policy, be agreed.

2.     That the Policy as attached to this Report to take effect from 18 September 2023, be adopted.

Sharon Degiorgio, Senior Licensing Officer presented the report as per the agenda.

Questions from Members and Officer clarification included:

                 i.          Concerns raised by drivers about the use of card payments in areas of low coverage and how that affected taking payments were acknowledged and mitigating measures that could be taken to avoid loss of fares were considered.

                ii.          It was possible to have a condition in place that ensured a sign went  into vehicles to advise card payments were available, and that would form part of the consultation.

               iii.          It was advised that the general position was that the driver cannot pass surcharges for using debit / credit card payments directly on to the customer where a card is used, however, other charges such as booking fees were possible. It was considered that as it was going out for consultation, in the responses members of the trade may indicate how they would approach any set charging pricing.

              iv.          Further clarification was provided on the current fleet and the compliance with the Euro 6 standards.

                v.          It was not permitted to have an EV charging point on the rank.

              vi.          An explanation was given in relation to what was happening to move the fleet to green vehicles.

             vii.          Attention was brought to page 183 of the agenda, the table of the proposed changes which were under close review over the coming months and years and comments on those were expected from the consultation.

            viii.          Kent County Council Highways were responsible for charging points on the highways.

RESOLVED:

1.     That officers undertake a public consultation on the draft revised Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. A further report will be brought back to the Committee to consider the results of this exercise and take responses into consideration where appropriate, prior to the formal adoption of the revised policy.

Sharon Bamborough, Head of the Licensing Partnership presented the report as per the agenda.

Questions from Members and Officer clarification included:

                 i.          The report was taken as read.

RESOLVED:

1.     That the performance of the Licensing Partnership as contained within the report be noted the Head of the Licensing Partnership be asked to continue to provide an annual update on the Licensing Partnership activity to the Licensing Committee each municipal year.

To consider any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent, for the reasons to be stated, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There was no urgent business for consideration.

The next meeting of the Licensing Committee was scheduled for 21 November 2023.