This is a meeting of the Licensing Committee of Hart Borough Council held on the 22nd Oct 2024.

The last meeting of the Licensing Committee was on the 28th Jan 2025, and the next meeting will be 1st Apr 2025.

Meeting Status

Confirmed

Agenda Published

Yes

Decisions Published

No

Minutes Published

Yes

Meeting Location

Council Chamber

Meeting Recordings

We know of no meeting recordings. If you know of one, let us know.

Agenda

Item Title Minutes
1 Minutes of the Previous Meeting Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of 3 July 2024 were agreed and signed as a correct record.

 

Proposed by: Cllr Clarke    Seconded by: Cllr Dorn    Unanimously agreed.

2 Apologies for Absence

Apologies had been received from Cllrs Axam, Vernon and Woods.

3 Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest made.

4 Chair's Announcements

The Chair had no announcements.

5 Taxi Licensing Services - Fees and Charges Taxi Licensing Services - Fees and Charges Report
Appendix to report

This item was to consider the fees and charges for taxi licensing services relating to hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, drivers and operators.

 

Cllr Forster declared a non-pecuniary, non-prejudicial interest in this item in that he was involved in a business supplying ultra rapid EV charging points.

 

Members heard:

  • The DBS service had advised that charges would be increased to £49.50 from 1 December 2024.  These were recharged to Hart at cost by Basingstoke and Deane.
  • Fees and charges relating to hackney carriages and private hire vehicles to remain the same for 2025/26 to help support the trade
  • Both the wheelchair accessible vehicle fee and electrical vehicle fee of 0% were due to expire in 2025 unless proposals were agreed to extend these
  • Drivers’ and operators’ fees had been increased by 3%

 

Members discussed:

  • The number of wheelchair accessible and electric vehicles in Hart
  • Why the increase had been set at 3%
  • Why the renewal fee for drivers had been frozen
  • That it would be useful to have the schedule show which of the fees had been increased by central Government and which had been increased by Hart
  • Why some of the increases did not exactly equate to 3%
  • Whether an additional incentive for drivers/operators of wheelchair accessible vehicles could be offered
  • The ability of private hire drivers/operators to work across district borders, whilst hackney carriages were limited to the district they were registered in
  • The merits of extending the 100% discount on the fee for electric vehicles for a period of two years, against reviewing it annually

 

Cllr Farmer proposed an amendment to extend the discount of 100% on the fee for electric vehicles for a further two years.  Seconded by Cllr Dorn.  A recorded vote was held:

 

For: Coburn; Dorn; Farmer; Forster (4)

Against: Butler; Clarke; Harward; Jones; Smith; Thomas (6)

Abstain: none

 

The proposed amendment to the policy was defeated.

 

Cllr Smith proposed an amendment to extend the discount of 100% on the fee for electric vehicles for a further 1 year.  Seconded by Cllr Jones. 

 

The proposed amendment to the policy was agreed unanimously.

 

Cllr Forster proposed an amendment to extend the discount of 100% on the fee for wheelchair accessible vehicles for a further 5 years.  Seconded by Cllr Dorn. 

 

The proposed amendment to the policy was agreed unanimously.

 

The amended fees and charges recommendation as discussed was proposed by Cllr Dorn and seconded by Cllr Clarke and was agreed unanimously.

 

In closing this item, it was noted that the guide on the website on becoming a taxi driver required updating.

 

Decision

                                        

The Licensing Committee agreed:

 

·       the 2025/26 amended fees and charges relating to hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, drivers and operators’ licences.

 

·       that the proposed amended fees and charges would go to public consultation in accordance with the process set out in section 70 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (The Act).

 

that the Executive Director – Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, make any necessary minor alterations / typographical corrections to the policy before it was published.

6 Draft Sex Establishments Policy for Consultation Draft Sex Establishments Policy for Consulttion - Report
Appendix - Draft Sex Establishments Policy 2024

This report provided information required to make a decision to approve a revised Sex Establishments Policy and conditions for consultation.

 

Members heard:

  • Hart did not have any sex establishments and there was little risk of gaining one
  • There were three different types of sex establishments
  • The legislation around opening a sex establishment was very prescriptive
  • That the policy if agreed would go out to consultation and return to the next meeting of the Committee for final approval

 

Members discussed:

  • Whether the 12 week consultation period was statutory
  • How the policy related to the Corporate Plan
  • How much officer time it had taken to produce the Policy
  • That although it was a shared policy with Basingstoke, there would be small differences in each authority’s policy as the Committee could amend the parts relating to Hart, and Basingstoke’s Licensing Committee could amend the parts relating to Basingstoke and Deane

 

Proposed by Cllr Butler; seconded by Cllr Jones.  Agreed unanimously.

 

Decision

 

The Licensing Committee:

 

·       agreed the draft Sex Establishments Policy for consultation, as set out in  Appendix A, and

 

authorised the Executive Director – Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, to make any necessary minor alterations / typographical corrections to the Policy before it was published.

Meeting Attendees

Bethany Woods photo
Committee Member
Bethany Woods

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

Profile
Gerry Crisp photo
Committee Member
Gerry Crisp

Liberal Democrat

Absent

Profile
Mark Vernon photo
Committee Member
Mark Vernon

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

Profile
Peter Wildsmith photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Regulatory
Peter Wildsmith

Liberal Democrat

In attendance

Profile
Robert Harward photo
Committee Member
Robert Harward

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

Profile
Stuart Bailey photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Community Services
Stuart Bailey

Liberal Democrat

Absent

Profile
Dermot Smith photo
Vice-Chairman
Chairman
Dermot Smith

Independent

Present, as expected

Profile
Chris Dorn photo
Committee Member
Vice-Chairman
Chris Dorn

Conservative

Present, as expected

Profile
Selena Coburn photo
Committee Member
Selena Coburn

Conservative

Present, as expected

Profile
Spencer Farmer photo
Committee Member
Spencer Farmer

Conservative

Present, as expected

Profile
Steve Forster photo
Committee Member
Steve Forster

Conservative

Present, as expected

Profile
Ben Thomas photo
Committee Member
Ben Thomas

Community Campaign Hart

Present, as expected

Profile
Chris Axam photo
Committee Member
Chris Axam

Community Campaign Hart

Apologies

Profile
Gill Butler photo
Chair
Gill Butler

Community Campaign Hart

Present, as expected

Profile
Tony Clarke photo
Committee Member
Portfolio Holder - Digital and Communications
Tony Clarke

Community Campaign Hart

Present, as expected

Profile
Committee Member
Richard Jones

CCH

Present, as expected

Officer
Environmental Health & Licensing Contract Manager
Neil Hince

None

In attendance

Officer
Head of Environmental & Community Services (Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council)
Tom Payne

None

In attendance

Officer
Committee and Member Services Manager
Sharon Black

None

In attendance

Officer
Executive Director - Place
Mark Jaggard

None

In attendance

Officer
Shared Legal Services
Louise Misselbrook

None

In attendance

Officer
Licensing Team Leader, Shared Licensing Services
Emma Coles

None

In attendance

Previous Committee Meetings

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28th Jan 2025 Licensing Committee

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22nd Oct 2024 Licensing Committee

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3rd Jul 2024 Licensing Committee

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2nd Apr 2024 Licensing Committee (Cancelled)

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6th Feb 2024 Licensing Committee

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7th Nov 2023 Licensing Committee

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5th Sep 2023 Licensing Committee

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4th Jul 2023 Licensing Committee (Cancelled)

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6th Jun 2023 Licensing Committee

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25th Apr 2023 Licensing Committee (Cancelled)

Future Committee Meetings

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1st Apr 2025 Licensing Committee

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1st Jul 2025 Licensing Committee

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21st Oct 2025 Licensing Committee

Source

This meeting detail is from Hart Borough Council website