Issue - meetings

To consider the annual review of licensing fees and charges.

The Committee received a report seeking approval for an increase to the Council’s licensing fees and charges, which were subject to annual review under the Medium Term Financial Plan and in line with the external income policy. In December, Cabinet had approved the application of a 3% general increase to fees and charges levied by the Council, although approval for a number of specified licensing fees and charges was within the remit of Regulatory Committee. The report recommended that all non-statutory charges in this regard be increased in overall terms by 3% in line with the position agreed by Cabinet and the premise of full cost recovery. Confirmation was provided that an Equalities Impact Assessment had been undertaken and showed no adverse impact on groups with protected characteristics.

Members expressed concern over the premise of a blanket increase. Although it was recognised that the fees proposed aimed to achieve a full cost recovery position, it was requested that a future, more detailed costing exercise be undertaken to more fundamentally review the basis for the level of fees charged as opposed to the imposition of a year on year blanket increase. It was considered that some of the fees charged appeared to be out of line with likely cost recovery including some of the additional street trading charges and enforcement costs and as such should be reviewed. In response to questions about street trading application fees, it was confirmed that a review would be undertaken later in the year looking at how the fees and charges were set.

Concerns were also expressed on the report coming to the Committee at such a late stage, providing little opportunity to provide input into the level of the fees set as the new charges were required to come into force from 1 April. Officers provided confirmation that this was the first scheduled meeting of the Committee since the primary Cabinet decision regarding fees and charges was taken in December.

RESOLVED

·        To grant approval for the increase to the Council’s licensing fees and charges, as set out in the appendix attached to the report, with effect from 1 April 2013, subject to an Equalities Impact Assessment being carried out with any subsequent changes then required being delegated to the Director of Place and Sustainability having consulted with the appropriate Cabinet member.