Meeting documents

There followed a question and answer session for Committee Members with the licensing officers.

Regarding the difference between Hackney Carriage taxis and Private Hire vehicles, Members were advised that Hackney Carriage taxis (black cabs) were able to pick up people off the street without a prior booking.  They were highly regulated with fares controlled by local councils.  Private Hire vehicles (minicabs) required a prior booking when picking up passengers.  Examples of Hackney Carriage plates were circulated at the meeting.

Statistics on the numbers of licences issued for Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles between 2006-07 and 2011-12 were circulated at the meeting.  The figures had largely remained constant, although there had been an increase in Private Hire Drivers.

Regarding imposing a limit on the number of taxis licensed by the Council, the Committee were advised that the Council had deregulated the issue of taxi/minicab licences in the district meaning that this was not possible.

Reference was made to the penalty points enforcement scheme operated by Rother District Council.  This involved drivers accruing points for minor matters of misconduct that would allow the driver to continue driving until such time as they either reached the limit set by Members, or if the nature of the complaint against a driver was too serious to deal with under the scheme.  In principle, the Committee supported the introduction of a similar scheme in Chiltern, and it was agreed that officers would discuss this ideas with the trade and report back.  The Head of Health and Housing added that a penalty points enforcement scheme could be considered as part of the Licensing Policy Review.  It was suggested that stretch limousines should also be considered.

Regarding Consent Streets, it was confirmed that not all streets in the area were designated as Consent Streets.  Where they did exist, they tended to be in the main town and village centres of Amersham, Chesham, Chalfont St Giles, Chalfont St Peter, and Little Chalfont.  The A413 from Amersham through to Chalfont St Peter was a Prohibited Street.  Street Trading related to the selling or offering for sale of any article in the street, for example, food.  The Council could either grant the application; grant it on different terms than those applied for; confine trading to a particular place in a street; or, impose conditions.  The Committee were scheduled to look at the Draft Street Trading Policy at the meeting in March 2012.

In terms of preventing scrap yards from accepting stolen metal it was confirmed that the Council worked closely with Thames Valley Police who had an ongoing operation in the area.

It was noted that the Council had adopted a special saturation policy in respect of the village centre of Chalfont St Peter and in the High Street, Old Amersham.  This had been introduced following evidence brought by residents in the areas and Thames Valley Police on the grounds of crime and disorder and public nuisance.

The effect of the saturation policy was to create a presumption that applications for new premises licences, club premises certificates, or variations, would normally be refused unless the applicant could demonstrate in their operating schedule that there would be no negative cumulative impact on one or more of the licensing objectives.

Regarding the duration of premises licences granted by the Council, it was noted that they remained in place until given up or revoked.  It was confirmed that new, or variations to existing premises licences, were copied to responsible authorities (for example, the police and environmental health) and all Members were emailed.  Information would soon be available on public access via the Council’s website.

RESOLVED -

1.                  That the question and answer session be noted.

2.                  That a Penalty Points Enforcement Scheme be considered as part of the Licensing Policy Review.