Agenda item

The Committee is being asked to approve the fees and charges for 2025 – 26.

The report also sets out the updated processing functions and revised Standard Conditions that will be applied to each licence. This report hasbeen preparedto providethe LicensingCommittee with information and an update on the reform of the Massage and Special Treatment licensing function.

Ms Daliah Barrett, Licensing Team Leader, introduced the report.

The meeting heard that:

·         Ear piercings (or similar activities) carried out by jewellers needed to be licensed. The ASB Enforcement team had been asked to carry out door-to-door research on premises that did piercings. Fees would be paid by business owners. There were situations where a person would rent a room, such as at a hairdresser, who would then offer massages or special treatments. That individual will pay their own fee.

·         The business owner would fill out the form and provide certificates and details of each therapist. The Environmental Health Officer would then check to ensure that the ventilation in the premises was good and that the certificates corresponded with the right people. The fee was to be paid at the time when the application was submitted.

·         The classification of treatments listed in the agenda papers were simply a partial list. The more intrusive treatments such as anything that pierced the skin would be categorised as Class 1 and lower levels of treatment such as nails would be categorised as Class 4. However, some of the classifications appeared to have inconsistencies, so the documents would be revised.

·         During a renewal, applicants needed to show their public liability insurance. One document that may not be required for three or four years was the general electricity certification - the NICEIC. This would last five years and would not be needed upon renewal every year.  The table in the agenda papers would be changed to reflect this around the process for renewing.

·         In relation to officers recognising modern slavery, when operations were being done throughout the year, the Commercial Environmental Health team would be contacted and would work in unison with the Police. On a monthly basis, the Home Office would contact the Council to alert which businesses they wished to visit. They would be provided with documents for the business and they would then carry out visits. Looking for modern day slavery was one of the primary purposes of the visits. Sometimes they would be accompanied by Police.

·         Commercial Environmental Health Officers that made the visits were trained in looking for modern day slavery.

·         Class 2 osteopathy and chiropractors were both not subject to fees, but there were certain types of therapists that had a standard qualification to offer certain treatments.

·         Page 122 on appendix 2 of the agenda papers listed the incorrect maximum basic applicant’s fee and this would be changed. 

·         If businesses were closing down, they would apply for a refund.

·         The retention sum of £285 as stated on page 122 of the agenda papers would be for each application.

·         In relation to beauty parlours, if there was an issue with the licence, concerns could be raised with the Licensing team. However, investigations would be done by Commercial Environmental Health Officers. It was better for Licensing to be contacted as the team needed to engage with the business in the first instance. It would then be referred to the Commercial Environmental Health Officer who would then meet with the business.

·         Licensing sent out the applications a month and a half in advance to each of the registered businesses and, provided they submitted the application back before the expiry date of their existing licence, they would be able to continue operating. The ones that did not submit their forms would be added to the list for the ASB team to do doorstep visits.

·         Having scores on premises doors was not something that was currently done for premises which dealt with special treatments. A beauty salon would not want to have any negative publicity in any case. The Treatwell app provided an overview of good practice or good reviews on premises. There was some expectation that the Government would address the issue as many types of premises now existed which offered aesthetic works alongside more ordinary beauty treatments. Patrons needed to do their own research and familiarise themselves with the kinds of treatments that they wanted to have done. The beauty industry had considerable demand and this sometimes could result in unfavourable consequences for patrons.

·         CoolSculpting was an aesthetic and was not covered by licensing legislation.

·         A resource for customer complaints had been considered for hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons. However, this would mean having to find additional resources and this was why it had not been taken forward.

The Licensing Committee RESOLVED:

1.    To note the contents of the report and the appendices in the report.

2.    To approve the proposed changes to the Massage and Special Treatment licensing process set out in section 4 of the report.

3.    To exercise power under s10(1) of the London Local Authorities Act 1991 by regulation to prescribe the revised standard conditions for licensed special treatments establishments and the revised special conditions attached with the report.

4.    To approve the fees and charges for this function as set out in Appendices 2 and 3 in the report.