Issue - meetings

Report of the Environmental Protection Director

Further to Minute No. 87 of the meeting of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee held on 22 February 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Environmental Protection Director which sought approval to increase the fees and charges for general licensing services in 2010/11.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the revised fees and charges for 2010/11 as set out in Annex A of the report.

Report of the Environmental Protection Director

Further to Minute No 70 of the meeting held on 18 January 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Environmental Protection Director on the fees and charges for general licensing for 2010/2011 and seeking approval for proposed increases to fees and charges for general licensing services 2010/2011.

The report indicated that unlike licensing fees which were set by central government, Gambling Act Premise Licences were determined by the relevant licensing authorities; that for Sefton, these fees were initially agreed by Members at the meeting held on 26 March 2007 and it was also agreed not to increase these further in 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 in order to allow the new regime to ‘bed in’; that in formulating the original fees, certain assumptions were made with regard to the extent of the work that would be involved for the Authority in carrying out its functions under the new regime; that these assumptions had been revisited and after the Authority had carried out its functions under the Gambling Act 2005 in 2010/2011 a surplus of £3,969.24 was forecasted for year end; and that given the forecasted position it was recommended that fees not be increased at this time.

It was clarified by the Environmental Protection Director that he understood the concerns of Councillors regarding the slippage as to the targets set for the inspection regime and that this was attributable a staff vacancy and long term sickness absence. The long term absentee had now returned to work and an appeal before the vacancy panel was to be heard next week with a view to resolving the current vacancy.  The Environmental Protection Director was confident that staffing could be delivered through existing budgets, and targets for the next financial year would be achieved.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the proposed fees and charges for 201/2011 as listed in the Annex be endorsed; and

(2)               Cabinet be recommended to approve the proposed fees and charges for 2010/2011 as listed in the annex attached to the report.