Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillors Sabahat Imtiaz, Derek Hardman and Denise Gee

The minutes of the previous meeting required amendments on Item 27 due to inaccurate information

Resolved – The minutes of the previous meeting would be amended following the Licensing Meeting.

No Declaration of Interest.

The chair had reminded all committee members their responsibility to view all committee agenda’s prior to the meeting to ensure that they are able to declare a conflict of interest on an item if required.

Resolved – The information was noted

Members discussed a report which presented the review of English Language Assessment Fees. The purpose of this report was to make a slight amendment to the previously agreed fees and charges made on 17th October 2023 by Members of this Committee.

The Committee were informed that the agreed fees included a charge of £25 for the English Skills assessment payable by applicants who live outside the Borough. This allowed the Licensing services to recoup the payments that the team was making to Adult Learning Services. The cost of providing the assessments to Blackburn with Darwen residents was being met by Adult Learning Services.

In addition to this The Principle Licensing Officer had informed the committee that Adult Learning Services could no longer subsidise the assessments for Blackburn with Darwen residents therefore, all the costs were now being met in full by the Licensing Authority. However, members were assured that the fee would only be relevant to new drivers.

Resolved – The members recommended for new drivers to require payment of £25 from all candidates taking the driver English skills assessment.

The Committee received an update on the work of the Council’s Public

Protection and Environmental Health Services (PPS) where there was a

connection with businesses and persons who required a licence from the

Council. It also provided an update for Members on national policy changes and proposals affecting licencing work.

The Committee were informed that in quarter 3 of 2023/24, officers revoked 4 driver licences, suspended 3 others and refused to grant 2 applications under delegated powers.

The General Licensing Sub-Committees considered 2 applications for new Dual Driver Licences and granted 1, but refused the second.

The Sub-Committees also considered 2 reviews of existing driver licences and suspended 1 driver for 3 months and required the second to undertake additional training.

The committee members were informed that a joint initiative between Police and the Council’s Licensing Officers had seen the successful re-launch of a Pubwatch scheme covering Blackburn. It was noted that Darwen already has an active Pubwatch which has been running for a number of years, which had been very successful.

Furthermore, Public Protection Officers joined forces with Officers from Lancashire Constabulary, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and Hyndburn Council on 6 December 2023, to carry out roadside checks on licensed vehicles in the borough.

Over 40 vehicles were escorted to the check site by Police where they were checked by DVSA inspectors and Licensing Officers. 2 vehicles, one licensed by BwD and one by Chorley were found to have defective tyres and issued with delayed prohibition notices which were lifted during the operation once the drivers returned to the check site with new tyres.

The Principle Licensing Officer had advised committee members that the roadside checks had been susuccessful and had provided positive feedback in the media. As a result of this more joint working had been planned with Hyndburn and Wolverhampton Council

The chair had queried what action was being taken against unauthorised Chairty Collections and was informed that the authority did not receive any income from monitoring unauthorised chairtys, however would react immediately once it had been reported.

All members were informed that no charity collection was authorised during the week outside of Ramadhan and should be reported if any unauthorised charity collection’s were being witnessed.

The Principle Licensing officer confirmed that a list of all authorised Charities would be issued to members following the meeting.

Resolved – The update was noted

The Committee received the proceedings of the following Sub Committees:

General Licensing Sub Committee held on Tuesday 10^th October 2023

General Licensing Sub Committee held on Tuesday 14^th November 2023

RESOLVED – That the proceedings of the Sub Committees as outlined above

were approved as a correct record,