None.

Recommendation: That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 October be APPROVED as a true and accurate record.

The Committee resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22 October 2018 as a true and accurate record.

The Head of Community Services has submitted a report to recommend introduction of emission standards for Hackney Carriage Vehicles and amend the vehicle age limit for Private Hire Vehicles licensed by this Authority.

Recommendations: That the General Purposes Licensing Committee resolves to:

1.    Approve the recommended option for  introduction of new emission standards for Hackney Carriage Vehicles licensed by this Authority;

2.    Approve the recommended amendment to vehicle age criteria for licensing of new Low and Ultra Low Emission Private Hire Vehicles; and

3.    Agree that such proposals be recommended to Council for adoption.

The Head of Community Services had submitted a report to recommend introduction of emission standards for Hackney Carriage Vehicles and amend the vehicle age limit for Private Hire Vehicles licensed by this Authority.

The Senior Licensing Officer introduced the report.

Councillor Malik (speaking as a member of the public and taxi driver) and Mr Khan addressed the Committee. Both speakers recognised the need to address the issue of poor air quality and its detrimental consequences for health and accepted the contribution taxis need to play in making that improvement. However they were also of the view that option 3 as set out in the report and recommended by officers would be too onerous because of the  significant financial burden it would introduce over a short timescale . A decision based on option 2 of the report would, in their view, be preferable.

In response to questions the Sustainable City Manager explained the work being done by officers, working with vehicle owners, to support the introduction of low emission vehicles with reference to the information in Appendix 1 of the report.

In discussion members of the Committee recognised that the recommended option would not be without its challenges but reaffirmed the critical importance of tackling the issue of poor air quality as vigorously and as swiftly  as possible. Air quality in parts of the City was at an unacceptable level. The fact that some cities were choosing to tackle the matter less vigorously was not a reason for Oxford to do so.  The preferred option already contained a degree of compromise and a dilution of the suggested requirement was not desirable.

The Chair thanked officers for the work they were doing to facilitate a move to low and zero emission vehicles and noted that the cost of them  and the associated infrastructure would reduce over time.

On being put to a vote, the General Purposes Licensing Committee resolved to:

1.    Approve the recommended option for  introduction of new emission standards for Hackney Carriage Vehicles licensed by this Authority;

2.    Approve the recommended amendment to vehicle age criteria for licensing of new Low and Ultra Low Emission Private Hire Vehicles; and

3.    Agree that such proposals be recommended to Council for adoption

The Head of Community Services has submitted a report to seek agreement to the licence fees for 2019/20 where the Council has discretion over the level of fee charged.

Recommendation: That the General Purposes Licensing Committee resolves to:

Agree the licence fees and charges for 2019/20 as set out in the Appendix 1 and recommend them to Council

The Head of Community Services had submitted a report to seek agreement to the licence fees for 2019/20 where the Council has discretion over the level of fee charged for Commercial Events, Hackney Carriage and Private Hire, Road Closure Orders, Scrap Metal Dealers, Sex Establishments and Street Parties.

The Senior Licensing  Officer introduced the report explaining that these fees needed to reasonable, proportionate and not exceed the cost associated with the relevant scheme.

The introduction of a £15 fee for road closures for non-commercial events (including street parties) was questioned. The costs of collection might well equal or exceed the sum collected. The Council should be seen to support community events, the  introduction of fee might  be seen by some to run counter to that.  It was agreed that this should be revisited in a year’s time.

The General Purposes Licensing Committee resolved to:

Agree the licence fees and charges for 2019/20 as set out in the Appendix 1 and recommend them to Council

The Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety will submit  a report to seek agreement to the licence fees for 2019/20 where the Council has discretion over the level of fee charged.

The report will be published as a Supplement to the agenda.

The Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety had submitted a report to seek agreement to the licence fees for 2019/20 where the Council has discretion over the level of fee charged.

The Business Regulation Team Manager introduced the report which proposed an inflationary increase to these fees and charges except for those in relation to new Animal Welfare Licence Fees (dealt with in the October meeting of the Committee) and those for Street Trading Consents (to promote and support street trading).

The General Purposes Licensing Committee resolved to:

Agree the license fees and charges for 2019/20 as set out in Appendix A and recommend them to Council.

The next meetings of the Committee are scheduled to take place on:

14 May 2019

18 September 2019

All meetings start at 6.15 pm or on the rising of the Licensing & Gambling Acts Committee.

The next meetings of the Committee are scheduled to take place on:

14 May 2019

18 September 2019

All meetings start at 6.15 pm or on the rising of the Licensing & Gambling Acts Committee.