Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Paling.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the above meeting, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record.

None.

Report of the Director of Place.

The Community Protection Manager introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, advising Members of the outcome of the consultation on the proposals to review the Smoke Control Order areas within the Borough and introduce a borough wide smoke control area and to consider the revocation of all existing smoke control orders.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Agree to make an Order (Appendix I) revoking all existing pre 1980 smoke control orders and authorise officers to undertake the relevant notification and publishing requirements and request confirmation from the Secretary of State;

2)    Agree and authorise officers to publish a notice in the Gazette and local newspaper for two weeks notifying of the council’s intention to revoke all existing post 1980 smoke control orders, allowing six weeks for any objections to be received;

3)    Receive a report to the next suitable meeting of the committee for a decision whether to make such an order revoking the existing post 1980 smoke control orders, having regard to any objections inside which are not subsequently withdrawn;

4)    Delegate authority to the Director of Place, in consultation with the Chair to make any minor amendments to the orders prior to their publication as may be seemed necessary;

5)    Delegate authority to the Director of Place in consultation with the Chair, subject to no objections being received, to make the order revoking the post 1980 smoke control orders (Appendix II); and

6)    Subject to confirmation from the Secretary of State regarding the revoking of the pre 1980 smoke control orders and no objections being received regarding the revocation of the post 1980 smoke control orders, delegate authority to Director of Place, in consultation with the Chair to make the borough wide smoke control order attached at Appendix III to come into force in line with revocations.

Councillor Rachael Ellis joined the meeting.

The Community Protection Manager introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, informing Members of the results of the consultation carried out in 2021 regarding the impact of the Department of Transport’s Statutory Taxi & Private Hire Vehicle Standards on the Council’s policies, procedures and conditions. The report also sought to advise Members of the recommendations of the working group, appointed at the meeting held in August 2020, following their consideration of the results of the consultation carried out in 2021 and to request that the revised policy document containing the working group’s recommendations be subject to a further 4-week consultation.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Note the results of the consultation carried out in 2021 and the recommendations of the working group at appendices 1 & 2 that are now contained in the revised policy document at Appendix 3;

2)    Approve that the revised policy document at Appendix 3 be subject to a further 4-week consultation;

3)    Authorise the Director, in consultation with the Chair, to consider any responses to the consultation and should they consider that the responses require any proposed amendments to the Policy or Conditions, they be referred back to Committee for consideration; and

4)    Authorise officers to implement the necessary changes to the taxi licensing policy, conditions and procedures to meet the recommendations of the Working Group if no responses are received to the consultation or, if the Director in consultation with the Chair does not consider any responses received require referral back to the Committee.

None.