Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED: That Councillor P. Denham be appointed Chairman.

COUNCILLOR P. DENHAM IN THE CHAIR

To receive any declarations of interest.

None.

To consider an application to grant a street trading licence (static) for Mr Stephen Connelly, on behalf of Bears Great Escapes Limited.

The Sub-Committee considered an application to grant a street trading licence (static) for Mr Stephen Connelly, on behalf of Bears Great Escapes Limited, in the vicinity of the Riverside and Fountains Area.

At the start of the hearing, the Chairman made the following statement:

“Presentations to this Sub-Committee are not given under oath. However, I would like to remind all parties that the highest standards are expected and any deviation from these high standards could possibly influence any decision of the Sub-Committee.”

All the parties to the hearing introduced themselves.  Mr Connelly was in attendance and was represented by Mr Heath Thomas, solicitor. They were satisfied with the proposed procedure.

Kevin Barnett, for the Legal Services Manager, summarised the matter for consideration. He explained that the matter had been referred to the Sub-Committee for determination by Worcestershire Regulatory Services because two representations had been received in respect of the application.

Niall McMenamin, Senior Licensing Practitioner on behalf of Worcestershire Regulatory Services, was then invited to make representations.  In summary, he set out the background to the application, as set out in the agenda report. In response to questions from Sub-Committee Members, he clarified that market rights were a separate matter dealt with by the City Council and that it was common for street trading rights to be suspended when markets were in operation.

Mr Thomas then spoke in support of the application. In summary, he explained the proposed method of operation.  He clarified that the market in this area only operated on Bank Holiday Mondays and that Mr Connelly would remove those days from his application and seek consent from the market operators should be wish to have a pitch when the market was in operation. With regard to the trade objection from Mr Bright, in his view many of the points raised were not relevant to the application. Environmental Health had not raised any objection and in his view the comments about food hygiene therefore carried little weight. There was no evidence to substantiate the allegation that Mr Connelly disregarded the Council’s street trading regulations.

In response to questions from Sub-Committee Members, Mr Thomas confirmed that any waste arising from this operation would be appropriately disposed of at the end of each trading day.

In response to questions raised for clarification, there was a short adjournment to establish the position regarding conditions attached to mobile street trading licences in the vicinity.  Upon reconvening, Mr Barnett stated that the existing condition applied to similar mobile street trading licences, that there shall be no trading within 50 metres of any other ice cream vendor, should be disregarded in relation to this proposed static trading site so as not to affect the rights of existing licence holders.

All parties were given the opportunity to make a final statement. Mr McMenamin stated that he had nothing further to add.  Mr Thomas stated that Mr Connelly had already demonstrated his ability to trade in accordance with the Council’s street trading licence conditions. He asked  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.