Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Democratic Services, 01795 417330 

Items
No. Item

965.

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

The Chairman will advise the meeting of the evacuation procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. This is particularly important for visitors and members of the public who will be unfamiliar with the building and procedures.

 

The Chairman will inform the meeting whether there is a planned evacuation drill due to take place, what the alarm sounds like (i.e. ringing bells), where the closest emergency exit route is, and where the second closest emergency exit route is, in the event that the closest exit or route is blocked.

 

The Chairman will inform the meeting that:

 

(a) in the event of the alarm sounding, everybody must leave the building via the nearest safe available exit and gather at the Assembly points at the far side of the Car Park. Nobody must leave the assembly point until everybody can be accounted for and nobody must return to the building until the Chairman has informed them that it is safe to do so; and

 

(b) the lifts must not be used in the event of an evacuation.

 

Any officers present at the meeting will aid with the evacuation.

 

It is important that the Chairman is informed of any person attending who is disabled or unable to use the stairs, so that suitable arrangements may be made in the event of an emergency.

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Chairman ensured that those present were aware of the emergency evacuation procedure.

966.

Minutes

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 July 2016 (Minute Nos. 774 - 778) as a correct record and to accept the Minutes of the following Licensing Sub-Committees:

 

30 September 2016 – Minute Nos. 905 - 911

30 September 2016 – Minute Nos. 912 - 918

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 July 2016 (Minute Nos. 774 – 778) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

 

The Licensing Sub-Committee meetings held on 30 September 2016 (Minute Nos. 905 – 911) and 30 September 2016 (Minute Nos. 912 – 918) were accepted by the Chairman.

967.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for  themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner.  They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

 

The Chairman will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

 

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote.  This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

 

(b)          Disclosable Non Pecuniary (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

 

(c)          Where it is possible that a fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the facts would conclude that there was a real possibility that the Member might be predetermined or biased the Member should declare their predetermination or bias and then leave the room while that item is considered.

 

Advice to Members:  If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Director of Corporate Services as Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

 

Minutes:

No interests were declared.

Part B Minutes for Information

968.

Public Session

The Council operates a scheme of public speaking at meetings of the General Licensing Committee.  Requests to speak at the meeting must be registered with Democratic Services by 4.30pm on Friday 21 October 2016 and must be related to an item on the agenda.  Each speaker has a maximum of three minutes to speak.

 

Minutes:

The Chairman advised that no requests to register to speak had been received.

969.

Update on the Hackney Carriage Licensing Function pdf icon PDF 75 KB

Appendix I added to agenda on 26 October 2016.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report provided Members with information and guidance on a new draft ‘Statement of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy’, which required Member approval for public consultation.

 

The Director of Corporate Services apologised for the late arrival of Appendix I of the report, ‘Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2016-19’. 

 

The Director of Corporate Services explained that the consultation document needed to be sent out, and Appendix I was a starting point, and a work in progress.  He highlighted the importance of the service and how it was perceived by users.  He explained that the new document indicated that the service needed to be handled differently to how it had been in the past, and referred to Rotherham Council and the issues that had taken place there.  The Director of Corporate Services explained that the Policy was about public safety and the Hackney Carriage Licensing functions needed to be properly regulated.  There had been a lot of discretion in the previous Policy document and this had made it difficult to enforce.

 

The Cabinet Member for Safer Families and Communities and the Director of Corporate Services had discussed the Policy and had considered it was about safety and safeguarding, and about making passengers feeling safe, and arriving safely at their destination.  The Policy was also about changing behaviour, and having a robust framework to work to.  The Licensing Team had looked at best practice methods whilst they had been updating the Policy.

 

The Director of Corporate Services suggested that delegation be given to him, the Chairman and the Head of Legal Services to amend the Policy, prior to it going out for consultation, and he invited the Licensing Officer to go through specific points and key changes in the Policy.

 

The Licensing Officer gave an overview of the new Policy.  He explained that a new Probationary Badge was being proposed.  The Badge would last for six months, and be for private hire drivers only.  A probationary driver would need to be supervised by a mentor, who would have held a Swale driver’s badge for at least four years.  Once successful, after six months, the driver would be able to apply for a three-year badge.  A three month and six month check, by the Authority would be carried out on the probationary drivers to review their performance.  The Licensing Officer explained that the vehicle age and specification was staying the same, but the Policy would allow electric vehicles to be used as taxis in the future.  Drivers would be issued with a vehicle defect notice if the vehicle was considered a danger to the passenger(s) or public.  A vehicle exemption notice would be introduced; this had previously not been clearly defined, but now only applied to luxury brands of vehicles.

 

The Licensing Officer explained that the Driving Standards Agency driving test would be re-introduced.  He advised that the application procedures had now gone online and there would be an online Knowledge Test.  Temporary badges would no longer be supplied; reminders would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 969.