Agenda, decisions and minutes

RESOLVED    that Councillor RE Barrett be elected Chairman of the Committee for the coming year. 

RESOLVED    that Councillor RE Barrett be elected Chairman of the Committee for the coming year. 

RESOLVED    that Councillor EW Bullman be elected Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the coming year. 

RESOLVED    that Councillor EW Bullman be elected Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the coming year. 

Minute 6.4 – the Licensing Officer confirmed that the Fire Department would inspect licensed premises at the request of this Council and that they would bear the costs incurred.

The Licensing Officer was requested to clarify with the Fire Officer if Insurance Companies required proof of fire regulation approval for licensed premises, prior to issuing insurance certificates.

The Chairman was authorised to sign as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting held on 16^th July 2003.  

Members need only declare an interest in circumstances where there is an item on the agenda that may cause a conflict of interests. 

None received.

Pampisford Parish Council had requested that certain streets in Pampisford be considered for Consent Street Status in order to control street trading in the village, particularly vehicle sales. The Committee, on noting the contents of the report provided in the agenda,

Councillor NJ Scarr informed the meeting that he had noticed an increase in vehicle sales occurring on the side of roads in many of the Council’s villages. In response the Assistant Solicitor clarified that the Act relating to Consent Streets stipulated that anyone trading from roads that had received Consent Street Status would require permission to sell any article or goods.

(a)               All stretch limousines should meet the Q.V.M (Quality Vehicle Modifier) issued by the Ford Motor Company or the C.M.C (Cadillac Mastercoach Builder) or have relevant approval documentation of the originating chassis supplier approving the conversion as presented for licensing.

(b)               No vehicle will be licensed if that part of the vehicle converted exceeds a length of 10’ in part or whole.

(c)               Passenger capacity will be determined by how many forward- or rear-facing seatbelts are within the vehicle. (Side-facing seatbelts will not be considered for licensing purposes.)

(d)               Correct tyres as recommended by the manufacturer must be fitted to include appropriate weight loading of the converted vehicle.

(e)               That no stretch limousine over 6 years of age from the date of its first registration shall be licensed.

(f)                 The maximum weight of any converted vehicle shall not exceed 7100lbs (3220Kg). 

The current conditions used by this Council addressed the general requirements for licensing standard vehicles under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, they did not however make a provision for more specialised vehicles, ie stretch limousines. This Council currently have 2 such vehicles licensed and in order to promote public safety for passengers and other members of society, the Committee

(a)               All stretch limousines should meet the Q.V.M (Quality Vehicle Modifier) issued by the Ford Motor Company or the C.M.C (Cadillac Mastercoach Builder) or have relevant approval documentation of the originating chassis supplier approving the conversion as presented for licensing.

(b)               No vehicle will be licensed if that part of the vehicle converted exceeds a length of 10’ in part or whole.

(c)               Passenger capacity will be determined by how many forward- or rear-facing seatbelts are within the vehicle. (Side-facing seatbelts will not be considered for licensing purposes.)

(d)               Correct tyres as recommended by the manufacturer must be fitted to include appropriate weight loading of the converted vehicle.

(e)               That no stretch limousine over 6 years of age from the date of its first registration shall be licensed.

(f)                 The maximum weight of any converted vehicle shall not exceed 7100lbs (3220Kg). 

The Licensing Officer reported that the Secretary of State would be approving the guidance relating to the Licensing Act 2003 during the forthcoming week and an official leaflet would subsequently be distributed to all Councils. It was anticipated that the first appointed day for accepting applications under the new Act would be 7^th February 2005 and an approved council policy would be required before that date. Members would be updated as and when additional  information was available.