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Agenda and minutes

Licensing Committee (old regime) - Thursday 23rd June, 2011 6.30 pm

Venue: Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone

Contact: Janet Barnes 01622 602242 Email: janetbarnes@maidstone.gov.uk

Items
No.	Item
1.	Apologies for Absence Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Verrall, Warner and Yates.
2.	Notification of Substitute Members Minutes: The following substitutions were noted:- Councillor Daley for Councillor Warner Councillor Mrs Hinder for Councillor Verrall Councillor Springett for Councillor Yates
3.	Notification of Visiting Members Minutes: There were no Visiting Members.
4.	Election of Chairman Minutes: RESOLVED: That Councillor FitzGerald be elected Chairman for the meeting.
5.	Election of Vice Chairman Minutes: RESOLVED: That the election of the Vice Chairman be deferred to the next meeting.
6.	Disclosures by Members and Officers Minutes: There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.
7.	Disclosures of Lobbying Minutes: There were no disclosures of lobbying.
8.	Exempt Items Minutes: RESOLVED: That the Items on the Agenda be taken in public as proposed.
9.	Minutes PDF 49 KB View item 9. as HTML 28 KB Minutes: RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 31 March 2011 be approved as a correct record and signed.
10.	Appointment of Political Group Spokespersons Minutes: RESOLVED: That the following Political Group Spokespersons be appointed:- Conservative – Councillor Parvin Liberal Democrat – Councillor Mrs Joy Independent – Councillor FitzGerald
11.	Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Issues Minutes: There were no issues to be discussed.
12.	Licensing Partnership Annual Report PDF 55 KB View item 12. as HTML 36 KB View the background to item 12. Additional documents: Cabinet, Council or Committee Report for Licensing Partnership Annual Report enc. 1 , item 12. PDF 183 KB View as HTML (12./2) 169 KB Minutes: The Committee considered the report of the Head of Democratic Services regarding the Licensing Partnership Annual Report. In response to a question, Members were informed that Licensing is not allowed to make a profit and as the Government set the fees there is a shortfall which the Council subsidises. The Council is striving to cut costs to help reduce this shortfall. The Government has been consistently lobbied about this by Authorities and the Local Government Association and it is hoped that forthcoming changes to the Licensing Act 2003 will make provision for authorities to set their own fees, based on actual cost. Members were also informed that the administration of private hire operators’ licences had now moved to Sevenoaks and the administration of driver and vehicle licences should move to Sevenoaks over the next 2-3 months. RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
13.	Licensing Enforcement - Hackney Carriage & Private Hire PDF 65 KB View item 13. as HTML 31 KB View the background to item 13. Minutes: The Committee considered the report of the Head of Democratic Services relating to an enforcement action carried out on 18 February 2011 by officers of the Licensing Team in relation to the illegal activity of Private Hire Vehicles plying for hire. It was confirmed that the date for hearings would be 6 July 2011. RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
14.	Duration of Meeting Minutes: 6.32 pm to 7.05 pm.