Agenda and minutes

Licensing and Community Safety Committee - Tuesday, 8th June, 2021 10.00 am

Venue: Barum Room - Brynsworthy. View directions

Contact: Corporate and Community Services 01271 388253

Note: From the 7 May 2021, the law requires all councils to hold formal meetings in person. The Council is also required to follow Government guidance and ensure that all venues used are Covid secure and that all appropriate measures are put in place. There are 6 spaces available for members of the public to attend. If you would like to book a place, please contact Corporate and Community Services by 12noon on Friday 4th June 2021 2 working days before 8th June 2021 to book a place by telephoning 01271 388253 or emailing member.services@northdevon.gov.uk. For track and trace purposes you will be required to provide your name, address and contact telephone number. This data will be held by the Council for 21 days.

Items

No.

Item

55.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Biederman, Bulled, Cann, Chesters, Gubb, Orange, Pearson and Yabsley.

Councillors Gubb and Yabsley were able to attend virtually for discussion only.

56.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2021 PDF 214 KB

(attached)

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2021 (circulated previously) be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

57.

Items brought forward which in the opinion of the Chair should be considered by the meeting as a matter of urgency

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed everyone to the first meeting in person in over a year. He hoped that Committee would be provided with the Police and Crime Panel update from Councillor Biederman in July along with a report from the Service Lead Officer, Licensing on the outcome of the consultation on the Hackney Carriage and Private vehicle hire Standards.

58.

Declarations of Interests

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest announced.

59.

Alternative Arrangements for the Appointment of Sub-Committees PDF 130 KB

Report by Corporate and Community Services Officer (attached)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Licensing and Community Safety Committee considered the Alternative Arrangements for the Appointment of Sub-Committees report (circulated previously) by the Corporate and Community Services Officer.

The Corporate and Community Services Officer gave the following highlights:

· This report was an annual report normally considered at the first meeting after Annual Council

· As the sub-committees were not politically balanced an effort had been made to balance by gender

· The Sub-Committees proposed were read out:

(a) Sub-Committee A Councillors Tucker (Chair), Henderson and L. Spear

(b) Sub-Committee B Councillors York (Chair), Gubb and Yabsley

(d) Sub-Committee D Councillors Chesters (Chair), Biederman and Pearson

(e) Sub-Committee E Councillors Hunt (Chair), Bulled and Campbell

The Senior Solicitor advised that there no longer needed to be a substitute nominated, this would only arise if a member of a Sub-Committee notified that he or she was unable to attend on the day of the hearing.

Licensing matters were governed by the Licensing Act 2005 and not the Local Authorities Act 1972 so the holding of hearings virtually was still possible.

Members discussed the merits of holding meetings in person versus virtually and it was requested that this be added to the next Committee meeting to discuss fully.

RESOLVED:

(a) That five Sub-Committees be appointed each with three Members with the delegated powers as detailed in Appendix A of the report;

(b) (i) That alternative arrangements be made for the appointment of Members of the Licensing and Community Safety Committee in accordance with the powers set out in S17 of the Housing and Local Government Act 1989 and the provisions of the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990;

(ii) That the alternative arrangements provide that the membership of the Sub-Committees of the Licensing and Community Safety Committee be not politically balanced;

(c) That a Member be selected by Corporate and Community Services to act as a Substitute Member for each Sub-Committee meeting should the need arise for a substitute;

(d) That Members and Chairs be appointed to the Sub-Committees as detailed in Appendix B of the report until such time as re-appointments are made in 2022;

(e) That the appointed Sub-Committees be restricted in that they may not further delegate any of their powers to an officer of the Council or any other body