Agenda and minutes

Councillor Jagger for Councillor Murray, Councillor Lewing for Councillor Sobczyk.

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Of the meeting held on 4^th March 2024 to be approved and signed.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 4^th March 2024 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

That the Committee:

1.     Notes the contents of the report, and in particular the Draft Worcester City Council Air Quality Action Plan (2024 – 2029) included at Appendix 1; and

2.     Notes that the Draft Worcester City Council Air Quality Action Plan (2024 – 2029) will be presented to Environment Committee on 4th June 2024 for approval to:

a)   Undertake a public consultation exercise in respect of the Draft Action Plan, and

b)   Submit the Draft Action Plan to DEFRA for initial appraisal and feedback.

The Committee considered a report on the Draft Worcester City Council Air Quality Action Plan (2024 – 2029). The Principal Officer – Technical Pollution, Worcestershire Regulatory Services presented the report and explained the main features of the Draft Plan.  The Committee were asked to note the contents and consider any recommendations to be made to Environment Committee ahead of that Committee’s meeting on 4^th June 2024.

In the ensuing discussion, the following main points were made:

·        The Corporate Director – Operations, Homes and Communities advised that officers are working to a tight timeframe, and any new proposals which are not fully worked through and costed are unlikely to be considered for inclusion in the final Plan. As the Council will be held to account on its content, bigger schemes are not included in the Plan at this point.

·        With reference to public transport, the comment was made that bus infrastructure improvements will have little benefit without associated improvements to bus services. The Corporate Director advised that everything in the Plan is supported by the County Council.

·        The impact of growth in the use of domestic wood burners was raised. Members were advised that measures within the AQAP are specifically targeted at nitrogen dioxide reduction only, as that is what the AQMA has been declared for, as required by DEFRA. Monitoring particulate matter is still in its infancy in Worcester. It was proposed that the Environment Committee be recommended pick this issue up in due course.

·        Are there plans to roll out monitoring equipment to locations which are not currently hotspots? Officers stated that NOx tubes are located across the city. Members can ask for a particular area to be monitored, but there are caveats as to what benefit this will achieve. The Plan looks to improve air quality across the whole city.

·        With reference to cars idling, especially outside schools, it was noted that there is a behavioural change officer who visits schools. A request was made for this issue be picked up as part of that person’s remit. The Corporate Director agreed to take this point forward, whether through the Officer in question, in collaboration with Worcestershire Regulatory Services or through Public Health.

·        Idling awareness for taxis was also discussed. Members were advised that whilst education is key, this issue has not been raised for some while with the taxi trade, so a reminder can be given. Idling is part of the penalty points scheme.

·        Officers will make enquiries about the transport on demand scheme which has been operating in Bromsgrove.

·        The take-up of school travel plans has been low – what can be done to encourage? The Corporate Director will give consideration to this.

·        In terms of accountability, a senior officer group will monitor the Plan and both this Committee and Environmental Committee will receive regular reports. Any policy issues will come to Members for decision.

·        Have we had buy-in from the LEP or Chamber of Commerce, for example? The Corporate Director stated that engagement with key  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

That the Committee:

1.     Notes the responses received during the consultation period on the revised Statement of Licensing Policy and included at Appendix 1;

2.     Notes that a summary of the main changes proposed are included at Appendix 2; and

3.     Recommends to Council that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy 2024–2029 included at Appendix 3 be approved and published.

The Committee considered a report on a draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy. The Principal Licensing Officer presented the report and explained that the draft revised policy contained a number of amendments and additional sections that reflected changes to legislation and guidance that have been introduced since the last Statement of Licensing Policy took effect in 2019.

Consultation on the revised draft took place between 18^th December 2023 and 12^th February 2024. Three responses were received, one from a local resident, one from a consultee responding on behalf of the Chief Officer of West Mercia Police, and one from a member of a local group/organisation.  The answers provided by the respondents were appended to the report.

The Police representative and local group/organisation member were both supportive of all the proposed amendments and did not believe any further revisions are required.  The local resident was not supportive of any of the proposed policy amendments but did not provide any explanation or make any comments as to why.

During the consultation period, Officers had identified a further very minor change which was required to reflect the fact that the UK has left the European Union and to make clear that photocard driving licences issued in both the UK and European Union are acceptable forms of proof of age.

The Committee were recommended to consider the responses received and to recommend to Council that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy 2024–2029 attached to the report.

In the ensuing discussion, the following main points were made:

·        Officers can encourage licensed premises to adopt the purple flag scheme, if they have not done so already.

·        The low response rate may reflect the fact that no significant amendments to the Policy are being proposed.

RESOLVED: That the Committee agree to:

1.    note the responses received during the consultation period on the revised Statement of Licensing Policy and included at Appendix 1;

2.    note that a summary of the main changes proposed are included at Appendix 2; and

3.    recommend to Council that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy 2024–2029 included at Appendix 3 be approved and published.

That the Committee:

1.     Considers and approve the draft revised Statement of Principles shown at Appendix 1, for the purpose of a 6-week public consultation exercise; and

2.     Notes that a report will be presented to this Committee in September 2024 with the outcome of the consultation.

The Committee considered a report on the draft revised Statement of Principles. The Principal Licensing Officer presented the report and explained that the Council’s current Statement of Principles took effect on 31^st January 2022.  In accordance with the provisions of the Gambling Act 2005, the Council is required to prepare and publish a Statement of Principles every three years.  Therefore, a new Statement of Principles must be published by 31^st January 2025.

A draft revised Statement of Principles was appended to the report. Officers were not recommending any substantive changes at the present time and therefore very few changes were proposed in the draft Statement of Principles, a copy of which was appended to the report.

It was proposed that consultation should take place over a period of 6 weeks and any responses received will then be reported back to the Committee later in the year.

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

1.    approve the draft revised Statement of Principles shown at Appendix 1, for the purpose of a 6-week public consultation exercise; and

2.    note that a report will be presented to this Committee in October 2024 with the outcome of the consultation.

That the Committee:

1.     Notes the responses received during the consultation on the Draft Sex Establishment Licensing Policy, included at Appendix 1; and

2.     Resolves that the Draft Sex Establishment Licensing Policy included at Appendix 2 be approved and published.

The Committee considered a report on the review of the Sex Establishment Policy which had been adopted in December 2014. The Principal Licensing Officer presented the report and explained that the draft revised policy contained only very minor amendments, including the removal of the foreword at the beginning of the document, the renaming of the Local Safeguarding Children Board to Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership and an amendment to the level of fines to reflect changes made to these since the current policy was approved.

Eight responses had been received to the online survey, which was undertaken between 18^th December 2023 and 12^th February 2024. These were from local residents, the Church of England Clergy in Worcester and a member of a local group/organisation. The answers provided by the respondents and officers comments were appended to the report.

Officers had considered all of the responses and where appropriate had amended the draft policy. The revised draft was appended to the report.

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

1.    note the responses received during the consultation on the Draft Sex Establishment Licensing Policy, included at Appendix 1 to the report; and

2.    agree that the Draft Sex Establishment Licensing Policy included at Appendix 2 to the report be approved and published.

Which in the opinion of the Chair is of sufficient urgency as to warrant consideration.

None.