Agenda item

Quarterly Licensing Update Report

Minutes:

A report from the Licensing Manager had been circulated in advance and provided an update on the activities of the Licensing Service under the Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Act 2005, Taxi legislation and General Licensing and the new Business & Planning Act.

 

The Licensing Manager highlighted the following points from the report:

·        A high level of enquiries were being received regarding temporary event notices or time limited premises licences for later this year despite the current national Covid-19 lockdown

·        The Council’s Street Trading policy has regard to consideration of local need or appropriateness of the location where there was the potential for conflict with businesses selling similar goods

·        Taxi drivers were being supported with an online process as there were difficulties with booking a GP appointment for the required medical assessment due to the pandemic

·        No response had been received from local MPs Simon Jupp and Neil Parish, or from Grant Schapps, MP Secretary of State for Transport and Rishi Sunak, MP Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the Council’s letter sent in November 2020 regarding the impact of the coronavirus on the taxi and private hire trade

·        Taxi and private hire drivers had been supported by the Council by way of the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG)

 

In response to the report, the following points were discussed:

·        There was concern regarding the use of EDDC land for events due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and in particular, land close to listed buildings or in a conservation area

·        It was noted that the Police and Environmental Health have the ability to raise objections to temporary event notices, although it would be advisable to address general concerns about the use of EDDC land during the pandemic before applications were received

·        There was a requirement under the Licensing Act for EDDC to have a clear policy on landowner permission

·        The Licensing Service was responding to a large number of pre-application advice enquiries, with approximately 3 – 4 traders contacting the Council on a daily basis and higher demand for space on seafronts in the District

·        It was noted that Cornwall Council identified suitable locations for temporary events in advance and goes out to tender annually

·        EDDC had already received three applications for summer festivals despite the current national lockdown

·        Members noted the lack of response from MPs to the Council’s letter regarding the impact of the coronavirus on the taxi and private hire trade and agreed unanimously that this should be followed up

 

RESOLVED

1.     that the report be noted

 

2.     that, due to the lack of any response to the Council’s letter of November 2020, a follow up letter be sent to Simon Jupp MP, Neil Parish MP, Grant Schapps, MP Secretary of State for Transport and Rishi Sunak, MP Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the impact of the coronavirus on the taxi and private hire trade.

 

The Committee wished to record its thanks to members of the Licensing team for their excellent work during the current challenging times and thanked the Licensing Manager for his comprehensive report.

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: