Agenda and decisions

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall, Huddersfield. View directions

Contact: Jenny Bryce-Chan  Email: jenny.bryce-chan@kirklees.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Membership of the Committee

To receive apologies for absence from those Members who are unable to attend the meeting and details of substitutions and for whom they are attending.

 

Decision:

Apologies were received from Councillor A Marchington and A Zaman.

 

Councillor P Davies substituted on behalf of Councillor A Marchington.

2.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 298 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Panel held 19th July 2023.

Decision:

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 19th July 2023 be approved as a correct record.

3.

Declaration of Interests pdf icon PDF 22 KB

Members will be asked to say if there are any items on the Agenda in which they have any disclosable pecuniary interests or any other interests, which may prevent them from participating in any discussion of the items or participating in any vote upon the items.

Decision:

No Interests were declared.

4.

Admission of the Public

Most agenda items take place in public. This only changes where there is a need to consider exempt information, as contained at Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. You will be informed at this point which items are to be recommended for exclusion and to be resolved by the Board.

Decision:

All agenda items were considered in public session.

5.

Deputations/Petitions

The Committee will receive any petitions and/or deputations from members of the public. A deputation is where up to five people can attend the meeting and make a presentation on some particular issue of concern. A member of the public can also submit a petition at the meeting relating to a matter on which the body has powers and responsibilities.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, Members of the Public must submit a deputation in writing, at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting and shall subsequently be notified if the deputation shall be heard. A maximum of four deputations shall be heard at any one meeting.

 

Decision:

No deputations or petitions were received.

6.

Public Question Time

To receive any public questions.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11, the period for the asking and answering of public questions shall not exceed 15 minutes.

 

Any questions must be submitted in writing at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

Decision:

No questions were asked.

7.

Hackney Carriage Demand Survey pdf icon PDF 744 KB

The purpose of this report is to inform members of the outcome of the survey to measure demand for hackney carriages within the district.

 

Contact:  Fiona Goldsmith, Public Protection Group Leader, Licensing

Decision:

RESOLVED:

    (i)        That the Hackney Carriage Demand Survey be noted,

  (ii)        That hackney carriage vehicle licences will continue to be limited to 224.

8.

Licensing Services - Update report pdf icon PDF 240 KB

The purpose of the report is to inform Members of the activities undertaken to discharge the Council’s licensing functions from 1st April 2023 to 30th September 2023.

 

Contact: Fiona Goldsmith, Public Protection Group Leader, Licensing

Decision:

RESOLVED: That the Licensing Services update report be noted.

9.

Decision Making - Hackney Carriage and Private Hire pdf icon PDF 304 KB

The purpose of the report is for Members to consider and resolve a decision-making process relating to the hackney carriage and private hire licensing service.

 

 

Contact:  Fiona Goldsmith, Public Protection Group Leader, Licensing

Decision:

RESOLVED: That the decision-making process relating to the hackney carriage and private hire licensing service to remain with the Group Leader.

 

The reason to deviate from the statutory guidance issued by the Department for Transport is that there is a robust decision-making process already in place.  The Committee is confident with the quality of decisions made by the Group Leader which are consistent and made in a timely manner. The Licensing and Safety Committee has overview of those decisions in the Licensing and Safety Committees, and the process falls in line with other West Yorkshire Authorities.  Changing the current process would incur costs to the Council and to the trade.

10.

Officer Delegation for minor policy and process changes - Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing pdf icon PDF 122 KB

The purpose of the report is to ask Members to delegate policy and process changes to the head of public protection in conjunction with the Chair of the Licensing and Safety Committee where the changes are minor and will not negatively affect the licensed trade.

 

 

Contact:  Fiona Goldsmith, Public Protection Group Leader, Licensing

Decision:

RESOLVED:

    (i)        That the Officer Delegation for minor policy and process changes report be noted,

  (ii)        That Members agreed to delegate minor changes to hackney carriage and private hire policies and procedures to the Head of Service in conjunction with the Chair of the Licensing and Safety Committee.

11.

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle specification policy review pdf icon PDF 1 MB

The purpose of the report is to inform members of the results of the consultation for the proposed changes to the Council’s current Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Specification Policy.

 

 

Contact:  Fiona Goldsmith, Public Protection Group Leader, Licensing

Decision:

RESOLVED: That the draft vehicle specification policy with the following amendments be adopted:

(i)            That all licensed vehicles, regardless of age be subject to annual testing,

(ii)          That multi-purpose vehicles continue to be licensed, and sports utility vehicles remain to be barred,

(iii)         That Officers provide further information relating to sports utility vehicles not being licenced at a future committee meeting,

(iv)         That licensed vehicles be allowed to tow trailers.