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Test Valley Borough Council
Councillors: 43
Wards: 21
Committees: 17
Meetings (2025): 93
Meetings (2024): 86

Meeting

Licensing Committee - Test Valley

Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Thursday, 3rd October 2024
5:30 PM
End:
Thursday, 3rd October 2024
9:30 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Date:
03 Oct 2024
Location:
The Annexe, Crosfield Hall, Broadwater Road, Romsey
Meeting Attendees
Councillor Jim Neal JP photo
Vice-Chairman
Councillor Jim Neal JP

Conservative

Apologies

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Councillor Janet Burnage photo
Committee Member
Councillor Janet Burnage

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

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Councillor Iris Anita Andersen photo
Committee Member
Councillor Iris Anita Andersen

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Jan Budzynski photo
Committee Member
Councillor Jan Budzynski

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Chris Donnelly photo
Chairman
Councillor Chris Donnelly

Conservative

Expected

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Councillor Debbie Cattell photo
Committee Member
Councillor Debbie Cattell

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Geoff Cooper photo
Committee Member
Councillor Geoff Cooper

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Karen Dunleavey photo
Committee Member
Councillor Karen Dunleavey

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

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Councillor Amanda Ford photo
Committee Member
Councillor Amanda Ford

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Neil Gwynne photo
Committee Member
Councillor Neil Gwynne

Liberal Democrat

Absent

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Councillor Rohit Kohli photo
Committee Member
Councillor Rohit Kohli

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Councillor Linda Lashbrook photo
Committee Member
Councillor Linda Lashbrook

Conservative

Apologies

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Councillor Philip Lashbrook photo
Committee Member
Councillor Philip Lashbrook

Conservative

Apologies

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Councillor Lisa Matthews photo
Committee Member
Councillor Lisa Matthews

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Terese Swain photo
Committee Member
Community, Leisure and Tourism (including Diversity and Inclusion) Portfolio Holder
Councillor Terese Swain

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Agenda
1 Apologies
Minutes Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Neal, L Lashbrook, P Lashbrook, Burnage and Dunleavey.
2 Public Participation
Minutes There was no public participation.
3 Declarations of Interest
Minutes There were no declarations of interest.
4 Urgent Items
Minutes There were no urgent items for consideration.
5 Minutes of the previous meeting
To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 30 May 2024.
Attachments:
Minutes Councillor Andersen proposed and Councillor Cattell seconded the motion that the minutes of the previous meeting were an accurate record.  Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 30 May 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.
6 Adoption of Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy
To recommend adoption of a new taxi licensing policy.
Minutes The Chairman briefed members that in July 2020 the Department for Transport requested that all local authorities should adopt new standards for taxi licensing.  In September 2021 the Committee agreed to go out to consultation on some of the proposals, which was carried out during 2022 and in 2023 the results were presented back to committee, and it was agreed to carry out further work looking at hackney licenses and the proposed Driver Code of Conduct.

The Licensing Manager referred to the report which was presented in November 2023 where the Committee agreed that the results of the consultation undertaken in 2022 should form the basis of a new Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy. However, there was one area where the consultation response was unclear; this was in relation to the policy for issuing of new hackney carriage licences where the current policy is to restrict the number of licences issued and only allow new licences for wheelchair accessible vehicles. Officers were requested to undertake additional targeted consultation on this particular issue.

Whilst the overall response rate was low, a majority indicated that they were supportive of the council only issuing new licences for vehicles that could be used by ambulant disabled persons and it highlighted that there was an overall agreement for the adoption of the Driver Code of Conduct, subject to some amendments to address concerns around specific aspects.

The following recommendations were proposed by Councillor Buzynski and seconded by Councillor Matthews.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was agreed unanimously.

Resolved:

1.  That the outcomes from the additional public consultation on the proposed new Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy, set out in Annexes 1, 2 and 3 to the report, be noted.

2.  That the new Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy, set out in Annex 4 to the report, be approved effective from 1 January 2025.

Recommended to Cabinet:

3.  That a fee for resitting a failed driver knowledge test for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing be introduced and set at £30 for each subsequent resit.

4.  That a fee for the provision of approved door signs for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licensing be introduced and set at £6 per sign.
Previous Meetings
Meeting

29th May 2025

Licensing Committee

Meeting

30th Apr 2025 Cancelled

Licensing Committee

Meeting

20th Mar 2025 Cancelled

Licensing Committee

Meeting

6th Feb 2025 Cancelled

Licensing Committee

Meeting

19th Dec 2024 Cancelled

Licensing Committee

Meeting

14th Nov 2024 Cancelled

Licensing Committee

Meeting

3rd Oct 2024

Licensing Committee

Meeting

22nd Aug 2024 Cancelled

Licensing Committee

Meeting

11th Jul 2024 Cancelled

Licensing Committee

Meeting

30th May 2024

Licensing Committee

Future Meetings
Meeting

10th Jul 2025

Licensing Committee

Meeting

21st Aug 2025

Licensing Committee

Meeting

2nd Oct 2025

Licensing Committee

Meeting

13th Nov 2025

Licensing Committee

Meeting

18th Dec 2025

Licensing Committee

Meeting

10th Mar 2026

Licensing Committee

Meeting

21st Apr 2026

Licensing Committee

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