The Committee is asked to note any apologies for absence and substitutions received from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Overton (with no substitute).

To confirm and sign as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Committee, held on 10 April 2019.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 10 April 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillors are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Personal Interest, and the nature of it, in relation to any item on the agenda.

There were none.

Subject to providing two working days’ notice, a Member of the Committee may ask the Chairman of the Committee a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties which affect the Tendring District and which falls within the terms of reference of the Committee.

There were none.

The Committee is to receive and note, for information only, the above minutes.

The Committee received and noted, for information only, the minutes of the meeting of the Miscellaneous Licensing Sub-Committee held on 7 June 2019.

The Committee is to receive and note, for information only, the above minutes.

The Committee received and noted, for information only, the minutes of the meeting of the Miscellaneous Licensing Sub-Committee held on 9 September 2019.

The Committee is to receive and note, for information only, the above minutes.

The Committee received and noted, for information only, the minutes of the meeting of the Premises/Personal Licences Sub-Committee held on 2 April 2019.

The Committee is to receive and note, for information only, the above minutes.

The Committee received and noted, for information only, the minutes of the meeting of the Premises/Personal Licences Sub-Committee held on 30 May 2019.

The Committee noted the contents of a report (A.1) on the number of applications approved under delegated powers during the period 22 March 2019 – 24 October 2019.

The Committee noted the contents of a report (A.1) on the number of applications approved under delegated powers as at 24 October 2019.

To request that the Licensing and Registration Committee agree that Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) training become a mandatory condition on the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire driver and operator licences for existing and new drivers and operators.

The Committee had before it a report (A.2) which requested that the Licensing and Registration Committee agree that Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) training should become a mandatory condition on the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire driver and operator licences for existing and new drivers and operators.

This request  had been considered at the last Licensing and Registration Committee held on 10 April 2019.  Minute 84 of that meeting stated, “It was therefore moved by Councillor Amos, seconded by Councillor Winfield and unanimously RESOLVED that –

(a)   the Committee agrees, in principle, to the requirement of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers and operators completing CSE training, as a mandatory condition on the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire driver and operator licences for existing and new drivers and operators.

(b)   The Licensing Manager be authorised to undertake external consultation over a 28 day period, and to report the results of such consultation to the next scheduled meeting of the Committee for its final decision.”

The Licensing Manager confirmed that  no representations had been received as a result of the public consultation period.

As the membership of the Committee was new and it had not met since April, the Licensing Manager gave a brief overview of the matter for Members’ information.

Richard Eastwood, the Council’s Safer Communities Officer also attended the meeting and briefed Members about the partial funding that had been secured in order to purchase the training package.

Members then asked questions of the Licensing Manager regarding what the training included, particularly as to whether it included a module on Modern Day Slavery.  The Licensing Manager explained that the current training module did not include this at the present time but explained that Barnardo’s were updating the training package and that this could be included in the future  at no further cost to the Council.

The Licensing Manager explained that  other Authorities within Essex, such as Rochford, Castle Point, Brentwood and Thurrock Councils had introduced this training package and that Colchester Borough Council were in the process of introducing  a CSE training package.  Councillor V Guglielmi enquired as to whether Ipswich Borough Council were using the training as Manningtree was close to the border with Suffolk and the Licensing Manager said that she was only aware of Essex Authorities, but that by the Council adopting this mandatory training it was hoped that this would encourage other authorities to adopt it as well.

The Licensing Manager was asked how long had been allowed for all taxi drivers and operators to undertake the training and she said that six months had been allowed once all of the required funding and training package was in place.

It was therefore moved by Councillor V Guglielmi, seconded by Councillor Skeels and unanimously RESOLVED that once funding is finalised, CSE training will be implemented for all Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Drivers and Operators.

To pass the following resolution:-

“That under Schedule 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the item of business to be considered below on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act”.

RESOLVED that under Schedule 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the item of business to be considered below on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

The Committee is to receive and note, for information only, the above exempt minutes.

The Committee received and noted, for information only, the exempt minutes of the meeting of the Miscellaneous Licensing Sub-Committee held on 9 September 2019.