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Agenda and minutes
Venue: Stade Hall, The Stade, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3FJ
Contact: Michael Courts on 01424 451764 email mcourts@hastings.gov.uk
Items No. Item Minutes of the meeting held on 4 January 2016 PDF 66 KB
Minutes:
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 January 2016 be approved and signed by the chair as a correct record the meeting
RESOLVED the chair called over the items on the agenda, under rule 13.3 the resolution set out in minute number 45 was recommended to Full Council without being called for discussion
Motion to Cabinet regarding a Planning review
Councillor Atkins to move, seconded by Councillor Cooke:
“That Cabinet recognised that providing an efficient, effective and trusted planning service is crucial for economic growth. A lack of which, risks damaging relations with residents, businesses and future investors. Cabinet therefore requests that the Environment and Planning and Financial Services and Revenues departments work together to establish a fundamental review of how the planning service is provided, looking at all potential options for its future management.”
(Cabinet Decision)
Minutes:
Councillor Atkins proposed a motion, seconded by Councillor Cooke as follows:
“That Cabinet recognised that providing an efficient, effective and trusted planning service is crucial for economic growth. A lack of which, risks damaging relations with residents, businesses and future investors. Cabinet therefore requests that the Environment and Planning and Financial Services and Revenues departments work together to establish a fundamental review of how the planning service is provided, looking at all potential options for its future management.”
The proposed motion was lost by 2 votes for to 5 against.
Taxi Licensing Update PDF 138 KB
(Council Decision)
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Mr Graham Wallace presented a petition on behalf of the Hastings and St Leonards Licensed Taxicab Association. The petition, which had received 10 subscribers, opposed the delimitation of Hackney numbers and called on the council to retain the present system in relation to taxi licenses and carry out an independent unmet demand survey.
The Assistant Director for Environment and Place commented that the concerns raised by the petition, and in an earlier consultation response from the Hastings and St Leonards Licensed Taxicab Association, usually applied when full delimitation had been introduced. He presented a report which considered a new policy for carefully controlled delimitation, through an updated quality standard for all newly licensed hackney carriages.
Hastings Borough Council currently operated a policy which limited the number of licensed hackney carriages to 48, this can continue provided the council can demonstrate that there is no unmet demand for hackney services in the borough. The Law Commission recently completed a review of hackney carriage and private hire licensing; the review had resulted in the retention of discretionary power for local authorities to limit the number of hackney carriages. However, an increasing number of local authorities had now opted to delimit the number of hackney carriages.
In autumn 2015, the council had consulted on a proposal to delimit the number of hackney carriages, to consider whether this would be in the best interests of the travelling public. The review had also examined examples of good practice from other authorities together with government policy and advice.
The report recommended that the council consider delimiting the number of hackney carriages, whilst introducing appropriate quality control measures for new license holders and granting grandfather rights for the existing 48 plate holders. The council’s Environment and Safety Committee would also monitor the impact of delimitation, and may commission an unmet demand survey if there is a higher than anticipated growth in the number of newly licensed hackney carriages.
Councillor Davies proposed approval of the recommendations to the Assistant Director for Environment and Place’s report, which was seconded by Councillor Cartwright.
RESOLVED (unanimously) that:
1) Cabinet endorses the proposal to delimit hackney carriages in conjunction with the introduction of a new quality standard for all newly licenses vehicles, and grandfather rights for existing plate holders;
2) Cabinet instructs the council’s Licensing Manager to establish and chair a working group including the trade and other interested parties. The group will develop the new quality standards and report them to the council’s Environment and Safety Board for consideration and approval, and examine the potential for additional hackney carriage ranks in the borough;
3) The council’s Environment and Safety Board will review the effects of the new policy and the quality standard for new licenses 6 months after it has been fully implemented (and periodically thereafter), and if necessary make recommendations for change to Cabinet, and;
4) Cabinet recommends this updated policy to Full Council
The reason for this decision was:
Delimiting in conjunction with the introduction of updated quality standards ... view the full minutes text for item 44.
Pay Policy Statement PDF 96 KB
(Council Decision)
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Director of Corporate Services and Governance submitted a report on the pay policy statement for 2016/17.
Under the Localism Act 2011, the council was required to prepare and publish a pay policy statement each financial year. The statement provided information on issues related to the pay of the council’s workforce, and complied with guidance issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The council would also look to ensure that the ratio of pay at the top to pay at the median did not exceed the national average for the public sector.
The statement required approval by Full Council prior to publication.
RESOLVED that Cabinet recommends the Pay Policy to Full Council for approval
The reason for this decision was:
The Localism Act 2011 requires Hastings Borough Council to prepare and publish an annual pay policy statement. The purpose of such a statement is to provide information about council policies on a range of issues relating to the pay of its workforce, particularly its senior staff and its lowest paid employees. A Pay Policy must be prepared for each financial year and must be approved by Full Council, and published.
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