The Senior Licensing Officer introduced the report and outlined the proposed fee increase of 6% which was felt to be suitable against the current inflation rate of 6.7%. The options available to the Committee were outlined.

In response to questions the Senior Licensing Officer stated that some of the ‘Other Costs’ fees contained within point 2.5 of the report were Licensing Hub services and that the Head of Licensing had set those fees taking into account officer time and that it was in alignment with other authorities in the Licensing Partnership. The Head of Licensing would provide further information outside the meeting on the fees contained within point 2.5 of the report.

In response to further questions the Head of Housing and Regulatory Services stated that the increase in licensing fees was to cover the cost of running the service, and although it was not covered exactly, the costs of the service were distributed among the authorities in the Licensing Partnership in a rolling three-year programme that would mitigate against discrepancies in individual years. The fees were also reviewed every financial quarter as part of the Department’s budget meeting with the Council’s Director of Finance. It was further stated that if licensing fees were set too high it could risk a legal challenge and that if the service did produce a profit it would be redistributed to the trade.

The Committee felt that the proposed fee increases were justified and necessary to ensure that the service continued and that costs were covered.

RESOLVED: That,

1.  The fee levels as set out at 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10 and 2.11 of the report for implementation on 1 April 2024, be approved; and

2.  That the fee level as set out at 2.5 of the report for implementation on 1 April 2024 be approved, with any responses received to the published notice tobe presented to the committee for consideration before that fees implementation.