Issue - meetings

To consider and receive the report of the Director (Customer and Digital).

Carl Gore, Enforcement Officer Licensing and Empty Properties, presented a report of the Director (Customer and Digital) which provided an update on recent changes.

Following the formation of the Enforcement Team, which comprised Building Control, Planning Enforcement and Licensing Teams, the licensing section had seen increased efficiencies, particularly through being co-located within the Single Front Office leading to an increase in productivity of staff.

Members noted this increase of efficiency had resulted in better relationships with taxi drivers in the borough, observed at Licensing Liaison Panel meetings. In response to issues raised by Members, officers undertook to raise the following at the next Licensing Liaison Panel meeting:

·         Taxi drivers exceeding speed limits on Euxton Lane, particularly near the hospital.

·         The impact of long shifts behind the wheel on driving proficiency and safety.

The Enforcement Officer Licensing and Empty Properties also undertook to look into the latter issue with regards to using electronic systems to monitor or limit the number of hours a driver could work without a break.

A taxi/private hire operation had been undertaken in November 2018 which resulted in high levels of compliance. In response to a Member’s query, officers advised that two vehicles had been displaying magnetic stickers which were against the vehicle licensing conditions found in Chorley Council Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2017-2020.

In conjunction with Legal Services, the team had seen a number of successes at the Magistrates’ Court when defending appeals against decisions of both the General Licensing Sub Committee and the Licensing Act 2003 Committee. Members thanked Licensing and Legal officers for their good work, and also thanked the Members of those Sub-Committees for making strong, defendable decisions.

In response to a Member’s query regarding advisories on taxi testing, officers reported that this had been discontinued but it was possible to revisit this as part of the current review of the licensing policy.

RESOLVED – That the items discussed be added to the agenda for the next Licensing Liaison Panel meeting, and the report be noted.