Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest or other registerable interest they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests.

Members were invited to declare any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, any prejudicial interests, or any disclosable pecuniary interests that they might have in respect of business on the agenda.  No interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 21 December 2022.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 December 2022 be approved, and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. Members of the public may speak on agenda items or on matters within the remit of the committee.

Please note that our registration deadlines have changed to 2 working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at meetings.  The deadline for registering at this meeting is 5:00pm on Friday 31 March 2023.

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form.  If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting, please contact Democratic Services.  Contact details can be found at the foot of this agenda.

Webcasting of Public Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be webcast, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the councils public participation scheme.

This report seeks members’ approval for the revised Policies and Procedures, and Terms of Reference for the Sports Grounds Safety Advisory Group.

Members considered a report that sought their approval for the revised Policies and Procedures, and Terms of Reference for the Sports Grounds Safety Advisory Group.

The Licensing Manager outlined the report and options available to Members. She was then asked a number of questions by Members to which she responded that:

The Event Safety Advisory Group Terms of Reference had been sent to Legal for checking and had been consulted on.

When the Safety at Sports Advisory Group met, the Racecourse and Community Stadium were both discussed. There was three meetings a year, one at the beginning and end of the race season, and one at the beginning of the football season.

[The Senior Solicitor was asked and confirmed that was acceptable to replace gendered language (he/she) with they in the Policies and Procedures, and Terms of Reference].

The links in the Terms of Reference had been checked and would be reviewed.

The minutes of the Sports Grounds Safety Advisory Group meetings could not be made public as they contained confidential information that would need to be redacted.

The following options were available to Members in making their decision:

Option 1 – Approve the Policies and Procedures, and Terms of Reference.

Option 2 – Approve the Policies and Procedures, and Terms of Reference with alternative wording agreed by members. 

Option 3 - Take no further action.

Following consideration of the options, it was

Resolved: That approval be given to Option 2  - approve the Policies and Procedures, and Terms of Reference with gendered language (he/she) to be replaced with they.

Reason:     To assist the council in its statutory duty under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 (as amended) and Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987.

Members considered a report that advised them of the implementation of the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) Act 2022 and the changes to the National Refusal and Revocation, Suspension database (NR3S). The report also updates Members on the allocation of the ten additional hackney carriage vehicle licences. The Taxi Licensing Manager outlined the report. In response to Member questions he confirmed that:

·        There had been no taxi drivers added to the NR3 central database due to defects.

·        25 March 2023 when licensing officers worked with partner agencies on a special operation to inspect taxis in York to make sure they were mechanically satisfactory and are legal to be on the road. Of the 31 vehicles inspected, 8 were licensed in York, 12 in Bradford, 5 in Leeds, 5 in Wolverhampton, and 1 in Selby. Of the 11 suspension on vehicle, 2 were licensed in York, 5 in Bradford, 1 in Leeds, 3 in Wolverhampton, and 1 in Selby. These suspensions were new and the suspension of those licences had been added to the NR3 datase.

·        All 10 of the new Hackney Carriage Licence applications had been accepted.

Members then;

Resolved: That the update on the implementation of the Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles (Safeguarding and Road Safety) Act 2022,  changes to the National Refusal and Revocation, Suspension database (NR3S)  and allocation of the ten additional hackney carriage vehicle licences be noted.

Reason:     In order to be updated on taxi licensing.

The Chair thanked all Members and Cllr Melly as Vice Chair. He thanked officers for their reports.