Issue - meetings

To consider such other business as, in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting, is of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration and is not likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information.

a) That the approach to determining applications for

pavement licences, laid out in section 3 of the report, be

approved;

(b) That the duration for a pavement licence shall be seven

months;

(c) That authority to establish a schedule of standard

conditions to attach to licences be delegated to the

Head of Housing and Health;

(d) That responsibility for determining and, if required,

revoking, pavement licences be delegated to the Head of

Housing and Health;

(e) That fees be set at the maximum permitted level of £100

in order to, at least in part, recover the cost of issuing

licences; and

(f) That the making of any minor amendments to the policy

and procedure be delegated to the Head of Housing and

Health acting in consultation with the Executive

Member for Neighbourhoods.

The Leader said that in accordance with the urgency notice circulated last week, with the consent of the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, an urgent key decision item would be considered.  She invited the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods to present the report which was set out in the supplementary agenda pack on Pavement Licence Policy and Procedure.

Councillor Boylan, the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, submitted a report seeking approval of a policy and procedure for determining pavement licence applications received by East Herts Council using new powers to be conferred on the council by the anticipated Business and Planning Act 2020.  The report contained a number of recommendations which set out the main elements of the policy and procedures, including duration of licences and fees, and which also provided for delegated authority to be given to the Head of Housing and Health to establish standard conditions to licences. 

Councillor Haysey said she was grateful to the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for allowing this item to be dealt with in an expedited manner, as clearly it was important that the council should implement the measures as soon as possible.

Councillor Wyllie said he welcomed the legislation and this report, which would help smaller businesses.  He thanked officers for acting quickly and for working closely with the Police on how the new rules would be implemented, particularly in view of the important of keeping people safe from the Covid virus.

In response from a question from Councillor Jones, Councillor Boylan confirmed that pavement licensing fell within the jurisdiction of the Licensing Committee, and that the Housing and Health Service would be responsible for enforcement.  

Councillor Boylan proposed and Councillor Cutting seconded, a motion to support the recommendations in the report.  The motion, on being put to the meeting, and a vote taken, was declared CARRIED. 

RESOLVED – that (A) the approach to determining applications for pavement licences, laid out in section 3 of the report, be approved;

(B) the duration for a pavement licence shall be seven months;

(C) authority to establish a schedule of standard

conditions to attach to licences be delegated to the Head of Housing and Health;

(D) responsibility for determining and, if required,

revoking, pavement licences be delegated to the Head of Housing and Health;

(E) fees be set at the maximum permitted level of £100 in order to, at least in part, recover the cost of issuing licences; and

(F) the making of any minor amendments to the policy and procedure be delegated to the Head of Housing and Health acting in consultation with the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods.