Issue - meetings

Cabinet member: Cllr Richard Barratt

To consider a report onan amendment to licensing fees and the introduction of a pavement licencing fee.

Cabinet considered a report on the amendment to fees which had been missed from the February Cabinet Fees and Charges report and the introduction of a pavement licensing fee.

As part of the coronavirus business recovery plan, the Business and Planning Bill will make temporary provision for the application for a pavement licence to permit the placement of furniture on part of the highway adjacent to a premises.  This will allow the licence-holder to sell or serve food or drink. The Council is able to recover the costs it incurs to process the licence to a maximum £100 per licence.

Alternative options considered and rejected by the Cabinet:

·         To propose alternative fees to those presented in the report.

Resolved to:

1.    Approve the annual licensing fee for street traders;

2.    Approve the annual licensing fee for private hire driver re-testing;

3.    Approve a correction to the breakdown of HMO licensing fee;

4.    Approve a new fee for the provision of pavement licences; and

5.    Note that the HMO licensing fees are to be reviewed to ensure that charges reflect costs incurred and value for money.

Reason for decision

Councils are strongly encouraged to recover the full costs of their statutory licensing activities from the businesses who benefit (i.e. the licence holder), rather than placing the financial burden on the local tax payer.