Agenda item

To receive and consider the Fees and Charges for Licensable Activities 2022/2023 report.

The Committee considered the Fees and Charges for Licensable Activities 2022/23 report which was set out in agenda pages 11-31.

Ed Shaylor, Head of Enforcement and Safety presented the report.  This was an annual report which formed part of the overall Council’s budget setting process, and the recommendations from this Committee would be submitted to the Budget Council in February.

Ed Shaylor stated that the proposal was to set remain unchanged fees for 2022/23.  The rationale was that the service was returning in-house in April, and a review of the costs would have to be carried out before any changes could be made (fees were set on a cost recovery basis).

During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:

·           Councillor Ferris asked if it was possible to change the figures in relation to hackney carriage and private hire licences to the reduced figures agreed by this Committee in June 2021;

·           Sean O’Connor stated that this Committee could recommend a change in the figures, however he pointed out that if the reduced figures did not cover the costs, this would mean a subsidy from the general funds.  Council would make a final decision on the figures;

·           Councillor Ferris stated that the figures were based on £59 per hour under the PPP.  It was necessary to work out what the new hourly rate would be once the service returned in-house;

·           Ed Shaylor agreed that the fees were based on hourly rates and that it remained to be seen what efficiencies could be found after April, however the hourly cost would continue to be the same;

·           Councillor Ferris felt uncomfortable with making a proposal to the Council on next year’s budget without knowing how much the service would cost under the new structure from April;

·           Councillor Soane stated that it was impossible for the Council to know at the moment how much the service would cost under the new structure;

·           Councillor Burgess seconded the proposal to put forward the reduced figures in relation to hackney carriage and private hire licences, as previously agreed by the Committee.  She expressed concern that the recommendations of the Committee were not being taken seriously.  She believed that £9k was not a material sum for the Council.

Upon being put to the vote, most Members were in favour of Councillor Ferris’ proposal.

Councillor Dennis asked for clarification on what would happen to the recommendation for the mid-year reduction.  Stephen Brown stated that the relevant director had indicated that there was insufficient funds to support that recommendation.

Councillor Ferris stated that, in view of the vote in favour of the proposal, he expected the figures in pages 25-27 be amended as per previous discussions in June (lower figures).

In response to a question Sean O’Connor pointed out that the funds for this proposal were yet to be identified.

Upon being put to the vote most Members were in favour of the recommendations contained in the report with the addition of a subsidy to the taxi fees, as per discussions during the meeting.

RESOLVED That:

1)     The fees set out at Appendix A and B go forward for consideration as part of the Council’s fee and budget setting process;

2)     The fees for hackney carriage and private hire will be set at the levels which were agreed at the Licensing and Appeals Committee meeting on 23 June 2021;

3)     Those fees which are within the Council’s discretion to set remain unchanged for 2022/23; and

4)     The fees for taxi and private hire vehicles and private hire operators for the financial year 2023/24 are reviewed during 2022/23 with a view to carrying out statutory consultation regarding any proposed increase to the fees prior to process for budget setting for 2023/24.

Subsequently it was clarified that the fees in relation to the reduction for taxi fees (resolution 2), were as follows:

·           Hackney carriage vehicles - £248

·           Private hire vehicles - £248

·           Private hire vehicles with dispensation - £228