Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - 3rd Floor - Civic Centre. View directions

Contact: Mike Hooper  Tel: 01902 551250 Email:  mike.hooper@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Patten and Photay.

2.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

 

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 84 KB

Minutes:

 

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 February 2017 be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

4.

Matters Arising

Minutes:

 

The Head of Governance reported that Private Hire Drivers Association Focus Group had held its first meeting on 5 April 2017 at Molineux Stadium.

 

Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 10:03 am due to a fire drill.

The meeting resumed at 10:39.

 

The Chair asked that the Head of Governance keep the Committee appraised of the progress of the Private Hire Drivers Association Focus Group.

5.

Licensing Sub-Committee - 21 February 2017 - Minutes pdf icon PDF 79 KB

Minutes:

 

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee held on 21 February 2017 be confirmed as a true record.

6.

Licensing Sub-Committee - 22 February 2017 - Minutes pdf icon PDF 106 KB

Minutes:

 

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee held on 22 February 2017 be confirmed as a true record.

7.

Licensing Sub-Committee - 3 March 2017 - Minutes pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Minutes:

 

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee held on 3 March 2017 be confirmed as a true record.

8.

Guidelines Relating to Relevance of Convictions and Breaches of Licence Conditions Relating to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Proprietors and Drivers and Private Hire Vehicle Operators pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Report of the Licensing Manager to follow.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Licensing Manager presented revised Guidelines relating to the Relevance of Convictions and Breaches of Licence Condition for Hackney Carriage and private hire vehicle proprietors, drivers and private hire operators.

 

Councillor Inston suggested that guideline 5.1.23, Mobile Phones, was too lenient and moved that to reflect the severity of the offence it be amended in line with guideline 5.1.4, Drink Driving Offences and Driving Under the Influence of Drugs.  Councillor Brackenridge seconded the motion.

 

Resolved:    

 

1.     That revised Guidelines relating to the Relevance of Convictions and Breaches of Licence Condition for Hackney Carriage and private hire vehicle proprietors, drivers and private hire operators, as appended to the report of the Licensing Manager, filed with these minutes, be agreed subject to amendments to guideline 5.1.23, Mobile Phones, to bring it in line with guideline 5.1.4, Drink Driving Offences and Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, to reflect the severity of the offence;

 

2.     That the amendments to guideline 5.1.4 be publicised.

9.

Equalities Outcomes Service Plan

Verbal report of the Head of Governance.

Minutes:

 

Councillor Claymore, Equalities Champion, gave a verbal report on recent work corporately in relation to equalities.

 

The way in which the Council was addressing equalities issues was improving at pace and the authority was had been awarded ‘achieving’ status.  The aim now was to achieve ‘excellent’ status.

 

The Head of Governance outlined the Equalities Outcomes Service Plan for Governance Services and specifically the licensing issues detailed within the plan.  He suggested the following:

 

·     That there would be value in undertaking a mystery shopper exercise.

·     That a report be submitted to a future meeting to propose that standard fees be waived for private hire operators willing to have only accessible vehicles in its fleet.

·     That a report detailing proposals to implement Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) friendly accreditation for public houses be submitted to a future meeting.

 

Councillor Warren suggested that it was not necessary to receive a report regarding the waiving of standard fees for private hire operators willing to have only accessible vehicles in its fleet and moved that the proposal be agreed.  Councillor Muston seconded the proposal.

 

Councillor Malcolm moved that a report detailing all equalities proposals for matters within the Licensing remit be submitted to a future meeting. Councillor Muston seconded the proposal.

 

Resolved:

 

1.     That the Head of Governance undertake a mystery shopper exercise;

 

2.     That standard fees be waived for private hire operators willing to have only accessible vehicles in its fleet;

 

3.     That a report detailing proposals to implement Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) friendly accreditation for public houses be submitted to a future meeting.

 

The Chair closed the final meeting of the Municipal Year by thanking the Vice-Chair, Members and officers for their support throughout the previous twelve months in relation to both the Licensing Committee and Sub-Committees.  The Committee reciprocated its thanks to the Chair.