Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Jane Bryson, Jim Clifton and Dan Salt.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a)  any business on the agenda

b)  any urgent additional items to be considered

c)  any matters arising out of those items

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

There were no declarations of interest made.

To receive any announcements that the Chair of the Council may desire to lay before the meeting.

The Chair had no announcements to make.

Members considered a report presented by the Portfolio Holder for Licensing and Streetscene, which sought Council’s approval to adopt revised Taxi Licensing policies in relation to Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles, drivers and operators, within the District of Bolsover.

The Council had a responsibility for licensing Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles, drivers and operators, within the District of Bolsover.  The current policies on these functions were published in 2018 and were due for periodic review in September 2021.

The revised taxi licensing policies had been drafted in line with the Department for Transport’s Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing: best practice guidance and Statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards.

Following consideration of the revised policies by the General Licensing Committee, a nine week public consultation was carried out between 20th September 2021 and 22nd November 2021.  The consultation was carried out through the Ask Derbyshire website, publicised via the Council’s website and social media platforms, as well as by contacting a range of stakeholders directly.  The draft policies had also been considered by the Climate Change and Communities Scrutiny Committee and were attached as Appendices 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to the report for Members’ information.

A full evaluation of the responses was undertaken and together with the subsequent amended policies, these were considered by the General Licensing Committee on 21st December 2021.

In response to a question from Councillor Tricia Clough, the Service Manager (Commercial & Environment), replied that taxi licence holders over 65 were required to undertake annual health examinations as they posed a greater risk of having medical conditions than someone at age 40.

Moved by Councillor Deborah Watson and seconded by Councillor Ray Heffer

RESOLVED that the revised Taxi Licensing policies be adopted to take effect from 1^st June 2022.

(Licensing)

Members considered a report presented by the Portfolio Holder for Licensing and Streetscene, which sought Council’s approval to adopt a Taxi Licensing CCTV policy.

In July 2020, the Department for Transport (DfT) published the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards.  Those standards acknowledged that Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) could provide a safer environment for the benefit of taxi and private hire vehicle passengers and drivers.  It also suggested that licensing authorities should consider mandating CCTV if local circumstances indicated that such a policy would have a positive effect on the safety of taxi and private hire users and drivers.

In line with the DfT’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards, the General Licensing Committee were asked to consider a draft policy that introduced a mandatory requirement for licensed Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles within the District of Bolsover to have a CCTV system installed.  After careful consideration the General Licensing Committee approved a draft policy for public consultation.

Following the consultation, responses were evaluated and an amended policy was considered by the General Licensing Committee on 10th February 2022.  The draft policy had also been considered by the Climate Change and Communities Scrutiny Committee.  The final draft policy was attached as Appendix 1 to the report for Members’ information.

Councillor Ray Heffer, Chair of Licensing Committee, commended officers for their hard work and bringing the policies to Members for approval.

In response to a query from Councillor David Dixon, the Service Manager (Commercial & Environment), replied that following approval of the policy, a procurement exercise would be carried out in relation to which CCTV system the Council would adopt.  Any costs incurred by the Council would be reflected in the licensing fees.  It would also be a condition on renewal of a licence that CCTV would be installed in a taxi or private hire vehicle.

Moved by Councillor Deborah Watson and seconded by Councillor Ray Heffer

RESOLVED that (1) the draft Taxi Licensing Policy CCTV be adopted,

(2) the Joint Environmental Health Service implement the policy to ensure that all licenced vehicles had CCTV installed by the end of April 2023.

(Licensing)

To move:- 

That the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following items of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).  [The category of exempt information is stated below each item].

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Nick Clarke

RESOLVED that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the stated Paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and it is not in the public interest for that to be revealed.

Members considered a report presented by the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance, which sought Council’s approval for recommendations made by the Employment and Personnel Committee on 12^th May 2022.

The remit of the Employment and Personnel Committee was to consider and deal with issues relating to the Council’s establishment structure and employees, and recommend to Council in relation to any growth in the establishment resulting in budgetary increase.  This was set out as part of its terms of reference within the Council’s Constitution.

At the Committee’s meeting held on 12^th May 2022, three proposals were put to the Committee in detail.  These were:

a)    Changes to the Joint ICT team structure to take account of the lessons learned from the Cleveland and Redcar ransomware attack,

b)    Homeless Triage Officer post (previously temporary),

c)    Senior Economic Development Officer (Pleasley Vale).

The Committee had undertaken a thorough examination of the proposals put to the meeting, considering each in turn, and the rationale and value for the associated costs.  The resolutions made at the meeting showed that each were agreed and also set out the financial implications arising from the change.  The proposals in summary were set out in the report.

In response to a query from Councillor David Dixon, the Executive Director of Resources informed Members that the Risk Management Group had cyber security at the top of their agenda.

Moved by Councillor Duncan McGregor and seconded by Councillor Clive Moesby

RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Employment and Personnel Committee held on 12^th May 2022 be approved.

(Executive Director Resources/Human Resources and Organisational Development)

The Chair thanked Members and officers for attending the meeting.