Agenda item

4.1

The Chief Licensing Officer submitted a report on the Licensing Fees Review (Determination of Fees) for the 2018/19 financial year and attaching, as appendices, a breakdown of the Licensing Service’s budget for 2018/19, proposed fees for the different licensing services and functions, details of the statutory fees and a schedule of fees relating to the Safety of Sports Grounds.

4.2

Clive Stephenson (Licensing Strategy and Policy Officer) introduced the report, indicating that, further to careful consideration of the allocation of time, costs and the resulting calculations, it had been proposed to increase the fees in respect of licences regarding Scrap Metal, Pavement Cafes, Skin Piercing and Second Hand Dealers.  Mr. Stephenson confirmed that the fees had been viewed and approved by the Finance Service.

4.3

In response to questions raised by Members of the Committee, it was stated that, as well as the proposed fees being advertised, the Licensing Service had consulted with relevant licensees and representative groups, particularly where changes had been proposed.  It was confirmed that any costs with regard to the judicial review of decisions made regarding Sex Establishments/Sexual Entertainment Venues were met corporately, and not by the Service. Mr Stephenson confirmed that proposed increases in the four areas now stated had been recommended due to increased staffing costs associated with dealing with such licences.  The wide percentage variance in terms of the proposed increases was either due to large increases in the number of applications for such licences, hence increases in staff time, or where there were new licences, such as Pavement Cafes, where the Service had estimated the fees from the outset, and now determined that they needed increasing.

4.4

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)      notes the contents of the report now submitted, the comments now made and the responses provided to the questions now raised; and

(b)      authorises the Chief Licensing Officer to impose the fees, as detailed in the report now submitted, and the relevant appendices.