Issue - meetings

Purpose: To set out the work of the Licensing Committee, Licensing Sub-Committee and Licensing Service in 2025/26 and to explain the context of providing Licensing functions through the Public Protection Partnership (PPP).

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 5) concerning the annual Licensing Report for 2025/26.

The Principal Officer for Policy and Governance introduced the item and highlighted that it was an annual report and set out information relating governance and resourcing information, information about the various licenses the Council issued, communication and engagement, and joint working and horizon scanning.

It was also highlighted that there was a proposal to amend the Terms of Reference for the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing trade meetings, restricting membership to the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and relevant Portfolio Holder. This proposal had been supported by the representatives of the trade and Officers supporting these meetings.

Members had several questions about the proposed amendment to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire trade meeting membership, with some raising concerns about the lack of Minority Group representation and the potential that they would no longer be made aware of the discussions or the outcomes of these meetings.

In response, the Chairman highlighted that all Members should feed questions to the meeting through himself or the Vice-Chairman, and he requested that Officers circulate both the minutes and agendas of these meetings to all Licensing Committee Members.

Overall, as Members accepted the revised membership, and as the Committee was satisfied with the annual report, they agreed to approve the recommendations.

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

1. Notes the Annual Report 2025/26 as set out in Appendix A to the report.
2. Considers the current membership of the taxi trade meeting and agrees the draft revised Terms of Reference for the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Trade meetings as attached as Appendix B to the report.