Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Cosgrove.

There were no public questions received.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 25^th February 2025 are attached for approval.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 25^th February 2025 be approved as a correct record.

Consideration was given to the Licensing Annual report which informed Members of the activities undertaken to discharge the Council’s Licensing function during the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Members were informed that There were two strategic objectives that related to Licensing:

1.    To work with businesses to ensure they were licensed and compliant. This covered:

·         Proactively licensing premises and individuals engaged in alcohol supply, entertainment and late-night refreshment.

·         Participation in Pubwatch schemes, partnership projects and joint, intelligence led inspections to ensure licence conditions were not being breached.

·         Promotion of the four licensing objectives and three gambling objectives.

2.    The second relateed to ensuring safe passenger journeys, in safe licensed vehicles with safe licensed drivers. This covered:

·         Undertaking inspections of licensed vehicles.

·         Vetting new applicants for licences to ensure they were fit and proper.

·         Ensuring that passengers were safe in vehicles by responding to complaints and investigating offences and breaches of conditions

The Licensing Act 2003 was governed by four licensing objectives:

Prevention of crime and disorder

Prevention of public nuisance

Public Safety

Protection of Children from Harm

Members were informed about the number of licensed premises under the Act, the number of applications considered by the Licensing Premises Panel and the number of complaints related to licensed premises. Members were also informed about the number of permissions under the Gambling Act 2005. A rise in the number of premises licences was highlighted. In response to members questions on the issue of Personal Licences officers reported that these licences were issued for life but could be revoked in limited circumstances.

Members were informed that officers continued to work with the private hire and hackney trade to ensure effective communication and consultation took place. The Committee were provided with an update on the details of applicants and drivers brought before the Licensing Drivers Panel over the last twelve months. Members were provided with the breakdown of licences in force and the vehicle testing data. The Licensing Team also administered and enforced a wide range of other license, registrations and permits and the numbers of each were given.

Members were informed of future challenges and changes with regular changes to legislation and guidance affecting licensing together with consultations. A current study was being undertaken on Taxi Licensing in Greater Manchester to inform a plan to make GM the first choice for drivers, vehicle owners and operators. All licence holders had been invited to take part by completing the survey online. In-person sessions were also being held for those who could not complete online. In depth interviews were also taking place.

Members were also informed of current projects which were underway or due to start in the coming months which included:

1.    Unmet Demand Survey – the Licensing Service had instructed CTS Traffic & Transportation to conduct an Unmet Demand Survey on hackney carriage vehicles. As the number of licences issued for HCV in Oldham were limited to 85, a survey must be carried out every 3-5 years to determine any unmet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Consideration was given to a report which set out the current position with regards to the Clean Air Plan, the related financial support for Oldham’s licensed trades and how this effected the current emissions policy.

The Council in its capacity as licensing authority was responsible for the licensing of private hire and hackney carriage drivers and vehicles, and private hire operators. Best practice suggested that licensing authorities adopt a single licensing policy in order to unify all its decisions, procedures and conditions as a single source of information for licensees, applicants and interested parties. Due to the changes and delays to the Clean Air Plan (CAP) or Greater Manchester since work began in 2018, both taxis and private hire vehicles had been continuously affected. To support the case for funding and provide assurance it would deliver the changes required, Greater Manchester offered commitments to government that emissions policies would mandate the transition to cleaner vehicles and prevent non-emission compliant vehicles from being licensed in the future.

Members were informed that the proposals included:

·         Extend the emissions compliance date to 31 December 2026 for existing vehicle licence holders with non-compliant vehicles.

·         Allow existing vehicle licence holders to continue to renew their vehicle licence with the same non-emissions compliant vehicle until the age limit of that vehicle in accordance with the vehicle age policy.

·         Extend the age limit for purpose-built hackney carriages and wheelchair accessible private hire vehicles from 15 years to 17 years.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The report be noted.

2.    The proposals be approved.

Members considered a report which set out the membership of the Licensing Driver Panel and Licensing Panels, with future 2025/26 meeting dates.

RESOLVED that, the membership and meeting dates of the Licensing Driver Panel and Licensing Panels be noted.