Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Offices, Bushloe House, Station Road, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 2DR. View directions

Contact: Licensing, Environmental Health or Building Control  Tel: (0116) 257 2 Ext. 637/689 (Lic) Ext. 590 (EvnH) Ext. 593 (BCon) Email: licensing@oadby-wigston.gov.uk Email: environmental.health@oadby-wigston.gov.uk Email: building.control@oadby-wigston.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

10.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

An apology for was received from Councillors Miss A R Bond, Mrs K M Chalk, Miss M V Chamberlain, R F Eaton and Mrs H W Loydall.

11.

Declarations of Interest

Members are reminded that any declaration of interest should be made having regard to the Members’ Code of Conduct. In particular, Members must make clear the nature of the interest and whether it is 'pecuniary' or ‘non-pecuniary'.

Minutes:

None.

12.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 19 July 2017 pdf icon PDF 66 KB

To read, confirm and sign the minutes of the previous meeting in accordance with Rule 17 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

Minutes:

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 19 July 2017 be taken as read, confirmed and signed.

13.

Action List Arising from the Meeting held on 19 July 2017 pdf icon PDF 40 KB

To read, confirm and note the Action List arising from the previous meeting.

Minutes:

The Interim Head of Communities advised the Committee that all items of business on the Action List had been duly completed.

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The Action List be noted by Members.

14.

Petitions and Deputations

To receive any Petitions and, or, Deputations in accordance with Rule 24 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

Minutes:

None.

15.

Corporate Enforcement Report pdf icon PDF 106 KB

Report of the Interim Head of Communities.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee gave consideration to the report (at pages 6 - 19) and the agenda update (at pages 1 - 8) as delivered and summarised by the Interim Head of Communities which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

 

A debate thereon was had by Members who considered the following in turn.

 

Asbestos Case - Marstown Avenue, South Wigston

 

The Committee was advised that residents could seek compensation from the perpetrator and the owners of the garages but that this would be a civil claim and that those affected residents had already been given this advice.

 

It was also advised that the specified date at paragraph 3.1 for failure to undertake works was 9 October 2017 and that an email response had been received from the owner of the garages who was not happy at the Councils’ action.

 

Members’ were advised that with asbestos there could be no shortcuts and therefore action would continue to be pursued.

 

Dog Fouling

 

Members stated that they were still receiving many complaints in relation to dog fouling and believed that a prosecution of persistent offenders would help send out the right message.

 

By analogy, the Committee was advised that there had only been one prosecution since 2005 within the North West Leicestershire District Council area and that an on-looker’s video evidence on their mobile telephone could be used in any prosecution.

 

Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO’s)

 

The Committee was advised that the PSPO’s would first need to be considered by full Council for approval before coming into force.

 

Pest Control

 

The Committee was advised that the Council had been liaising with a neighbouring authority to undertake some of their work in the area of sewer baiting. As the take up of services was slow since the expansion of the service into the commercial sector, it was agreed that the financials were to be reviewed again at the next meeting.

 

The Committee was advised that the timeframe relating to the table of pest control requests at paragraph 2.4 were those requests received since the last meeting.

 

The Committee were advised that the fees and charges were reviewed earlier this year and although the Council’s costs had been significantly raised, they were still competitive against the larger more well known companies and all efforts were being made to make the service more commercially-viable.

 

Food

 

The Committee was advised that an inspection for a newly opened food premises would take place as soon as possible but within two month timescale. Once the establishment has been rated, their rating would determine the timing of future inspections: if rated a 5, it would be two-yearly inspections, however, if rate a 1 or 2, it would be six-monthly inspections.

 

Licensing

 

With reference to Members citing several news reports recently regarding UBER, the Committee were advised that UBER did not hold an operator’s licence (OL) with this Council as they failed to meet its policy requirements. Drivers who had applied to this Council who had listed UBER  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Licensing Team: Capacity and Other Issues pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Report of the Interim Head of Communities.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee gave consideration to the report (at pages 20-25) and the agenda update (at pages 9-10) as delivered and summarised by the Interim Head of Communities which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

 

Members were advised that a routine internal audit would be carried in the Licensing Section later this month.

 

In relation to child sexual exploitation (CSE) training, the Committee were advised that existing licensed drivers were already deemed “fit and proper” and that CSE training would only be for new drivers. 

 

The appointed trainer was said to be Ms Mega Arumugam who already delivered the course for Leicester City Council and North West Leicestershire District Council.  It was said that £20.00 would be added to the licence fee in order to cover the training costs.

 

The Committee were advised that in relation to Hackney Carriages, the Council could specify the type and colour of vehicles to be used.  It was requested that a joint report would be undertaken and brought back to a future meeting of the Committee.

 

It was moved by the Chair, seconded by Councillor G A Boulter and

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

 

(i)       The pass level for competency tests be raised to 45/50 in respect of driver’s badges.

(ii)     HPI checks for all new vehicle applications be introduced.

(iii)   All new and renewal applications for vehicles be subject to a visual inspection prior to being tested by an authorised testing station.

(iv)    Child sexual exploitation and disability training for all licensed drivers be introduced.

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