Agenda item

To consider the following recommendations from Cabinet:

CAB78: Customer Services and Channel Shift

CAB80: Licensing Act 2003 – Statement of Licensing Policy

CAB81: Gambling Act – Review of Policies

CAB82: Review of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Fees

CAB83: Residential Caravan Site Licensing

CAB84: Polling District and Polling Place Review

Councillor Daubney, seconded by Councillor Beales proposed the recommendations from the Cabinet meeting on 3 November 2015.

With regard to CAB78: Customer Services and Channel Shift, Councillor J Collop expressed concerns about the reduction in opening times of Downham Market and Hunstanton offices to two days per week.   He had misgivings that  in an emergency situation a vulnerable member of society wouldn’t be able to get the advice or help  they needed.  He acknowledged that officers had said that people would still be able to contact the Council by phone in the same way as now but felt that often victims of abuse had their phones taken away by their abusers.  Councillor J Collop went on to express concern about the level of consultation which would take place on the proposal as he had assumed that it would include the public, whereas it did not.  He stated he would be voting against the recommendation as he wanted to make sure people didn’t suffer because if it.

Councillor Moriarty stated that he was broadly in favour of the recommendation, and acknowledged that public bodies had a duty to review their ways of working, particularly in times of austerity.  He was disappointed the report didn’t go to the Environment and Community Panel rather than the Resources and Performance Panel, but they had requested that adequate consultation would be put in place.  He stated that he now understood that the consultation would take place once it had been introduced.  He considered that the public would expect to be consulted.  He asked the Leader what was meant by the recommendation 4.

Councillor Tilbury invited Councillor Daubney to be clear in his response as the proposal would come into force in 17 weeks, and it was reasonable that people knew what consultation and communications could be expected.

In summing up Councillor Daubney responded that he was disappointed in the comments made at scrutiny because he felt there were a number of red herrings in the comments made.  He referred to the issue of emergency contact, but reminded Members that an incident could be take place anywhere in the Borough, and was often unlikely to be between 9 and 5.  The Council had a 24 hour service with CCTV who monitored the emergency contact line.  He commented that the Council could have  held on to its poor service from the 1990s and not embrace technology to provide a good service today, but the proposal  was using the technology to deliver the best service possible.  Full consultation had been carried out with staff, and statistics were held on the numbers and areas of contact, and numbers were available to contact in an emergency.  He considered that the Council would be failing people if it didn’t deliver with the technology available.

On being put to the vote, the recommendation was agreed.

Councillor J Collop stated that the Labour Group would abstain on CAB80 and 81. 

On being put to the vote the following items were approved:

CAB80: Licensing Act 2003 – Statement of Licensing Policy

CAB81: Gambling Act – Review of Policies

With regard to CAB82: Review of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Fees, Councillor J Collop informed Council that until the results of the meeting with the Trade were available, his Group would vote against the proposals.  Councillor Daubney reminded Members that there were a number of legislative requirements in the recommendations.  He expressed embarrassment about how the witnesses had not been informed about how they would fit into the process, and that it was a requirement to properly cost the licenses issued.  On being put to the vote the recommendations were agreed.

CAB83: Residential Caravan Site Licensing was agreed.

In relation to CAB84: Polling District and Polling Place Review, Councillor J Collop asked if there were any comments from Ward Members on the proposals,  in particular for the St Margaret’s and St Nicholas polling station. As he considered it was not the best positioned station available, he considered it in the wrong place and the wrong building.

Councillor Miss Bambridge informed Council that she had been in discussion with the officer involved from the early stages, and considered the proposed station to be a very good venue which could be accessed by car to the side.

Councillor Daubney reminded Members that the Returning Officer had a legal duty to review and recommend suitable polling places.  Full consultation had been undertaken, the proposed was the best option meeting the criteria.  On being put to the vote the recommendation was agreed.

RESOLVED:  That the recommendations from the Cabinet meeting on 3 November be approved.