Agenda item - Licence Fees 2021/2022

16.1    The Committee considered a report of the Interim Executive Director of Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities setting out the proposed licence fees and charges for 2021/22 relating to Street Trading. Sex Establishments and Sex Entertainment Licences, Gambling premises, Taxi Licensing and Animal Activity Licences.

16.2    It was explained that in order to ensure that council tax payers were not subsiding work concerning licensing administration, income was raised by licence fees with the aim of covering the cost of administration of each regime within the constraints of the regulations, they should not be used to raise surplus revenues. It was proposed to raise all fees by the corporate rate of inflation (2%) for 2021/22 and as a minimum each year thereafter. As the level of fees set had been benchmarked it could be demonstrated that they had been set fairly. It was felt that this approach helped to provide more certainty for the trade whilst ensuring that the council’s costs were covered each year (taking account of inflationary uplifts). If there were any significant variations to the costs, these would be communicated to the trade and could be taken into account when setting the relevant fee(s).

16.3    Councillor Bagaeen sought clarification regarding how the proposed fees were arrived at. It was explained that these figures were arrived at following the consultation process and were set in order to seek to ensure that council tax payers were not subsidising work concerning licensing administration. Income was raised by licence fees with the aim of covering the cost of administration of each regime within the constraints of the legislation which applied to it. Licence fees could not be used to raise surplus revenues.

16.4    Councillors Davis and Ebel enquired regarding the arrangements in respect of a waiting list for private hire drivers licensing, how it operated and how individuals reached the top of the list. Councillors Simson and Wares also sought clarification in respect of this matter.

16.5    It was clarified in answer to further questions by Councillors Simson and Wares that the proposed fee structure had been reviewed and simplified to help to improve the application process and to allow payments to be made on-line. This had resulted in some fees being discontinued and/or incorporated with other fees, which had led to some of the proposed increases being higher than the corporate rate of inflation 2%. There was also a new Vehicle Transfer Fee.

16.6    Councillors Simson and Wares stated that they found it difficult to support the fee levels proposed in relation to hackney carriage and private hire vehicles in view of the difficult period which had been experienced by the trade, although it was recognised that there was a requirement for fees to be set.

16.7    RESOLVED – That the Committee approves the following licence fees:

          Taxi fees – as set out in Appendix 1 to the report;

          Sex Entertainment Venues and Sex Establishment fees - increase by an average of 2% as set out in Appendix 2 to the report;

          Street Trading fees – increase by an average of 2% as set out in Appendix 2;

          All Gambling Act 2005 fees – as set out in Appendix 2; and

          Raise all Animal Activity Licences by an average of 2% as set out in Appendix 5 to the report.

          A list of agreed fees for 2020-21 and proposed fees for 2021-22 was included in Appendices 1-2 and 5 to the report.