Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from the Environmental Health Manager.

Cambridge City Council, as the Licensing Authority, was responsible for processing and issuing licences for a wide range of activities.

Fees should be set so as to avoid either a surplus or a subsidy where possible and adjusted, if necessary, in succeeding years to achieve and maintain the correct balance.

The calculation of the taxi and private hire fees and charges 2023/24, considered specific officer role and their time involved in the issuing and processing of applications, in addition to the administration and monitoring of compliance with conditions.

The costs involved in carrying out all the processes and the true costs of running a taxi service, have been calculated and these are the fees that went out for consultation as attached in Appendix A of the Officer’s report.

The Officer’s report set out the revised fees and charges for licences and associated items, which it is proposed should be made with effect from 1st April 2023. The approved charges would be submitted to Full Council to note on 23rd February 2023.

In response to Members’ questions the Environmental Health Manager said the following:

      i.         Figures in Appendix E of the Officer’s report reflected the ‘true cost’ of licence charges.

    ii.         The Licensing Department currently had a deficit of £102,000. This could vary by the financial year end when recharge figures were considered.

   iii.         Gambling Act fees were set by statute. Animal welfare fees were set in 2018. The only fees currently needing review were taxi ones.

  iv.         It was not always possible to increase ancillary fees by a standard 9.5%, but most were 9.4%.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 9 votes to 0)  to:

      i.         Approve the level of the fees and charges with effect from 1st April 2023, as set out in Appendix E.

    ii.         Request officers to communicate changes with members of the public, businesses and taxi trade.