Issue - meetings

Members were asked to consider and note an update report for the period 2025 – 2026 with regards to the decisions which officers had made utilising powers delegated to them by this Committee.

1.Certain powers have been delegated by the committee to officers, in consultation with the chair of the general licensing committee and committee legal advisor.

2.Since the last update several delegated decisions had been made which included:

•7 Licence suspensions (2 licences later reinstated by the general licensing committee, some later revoked)

•7 Licence revocations (5 following police disclosure)

•1 Request refusal and 1 request agreement to depart from policy on vehicle specifications

•2 Licence revocations and 1 licence refusal following a positive oral fluid drug sample

•1 Licence application (driver) refusal

3.A full list of 2025 - 26 delegated decisions and action taken, was contained within the officers report.

4.Members were aware the licensing service carried out oral fluid drug screening on licensed private hire and hackney carriage drivers since the proactive public safety measure was agreed in 2014.

5.In the same reporting period 47 screening tests were carried out on a random or intelligence led basis, the screening undertaken tested for six illegal substances.

6. Of those tested three screens returned a positive lab result, all samples contained THC (cannabis) two driver licences were revoked, and one new applicant had his licence application refused via the delegated decision process.  

7. For members information there had been three court appeals / prosecutions in the reporting period, as detailed within the officers report.

Members briefly discussed the report and commended Licensing Officers for the work they undertook keeping the Borough safe.

Agreed the report be noted.