The Wiltshire Council Licensing Committee met on Monday 14 September 2026 to discuss updates from various licensing teams and review minutes from previous sub-committee meetings. The agenda also included updates on licensing appeals, passenger transport, and future meeting dates.

Licensing Appeals Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on any appeals that had been lodged against decisions made by the Licensing Sub Committees.

Minutes of Licensing Sub Committees

The committee was set to review and sign the minutes from several Licensing Sub Committee meetings. These included:

• Northern Area Licensing Sub Committee:
  • The minutes from the 13 January 2026 meeting concerning an application for a Premises Licence for GemFest at Charlton Park, Malmesbury.
  • The minutes from the 18 May 2026 meeting regarding an application for a Review of a Premises Licence for Shindig Festival, also at Charlton Park, Malmesbury.
• Southern Area Licensing Sub Committee:
  • The minutes from the 4 June 2026 meeting concerning an application for a Review of a Premises Licence for Tidworth Kebab and Pizza House, located at 8 Station Road, Tidworth.
  • The minutes from the 5 August 2026 meeting regarding an application for a Premises Licence for Stonehenge Campsite Ltd, situated on Berwick Road, Winterbourne Stoke, Salisbury.

Update from Passenger Transport Team

An update was scheduled to be provided by Jason Salter, Head of Service for the Passenger Transport Unit. This update, attached as part of the agenda supplement, detailed the growing demand for local authority transport, particularly for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The report highlighted a projected increase in pupil numbers over the next three to four years. It also discussed the current landscape of approximately 700 passenger transport contracts, with around 450 held by Wiltshire licensed operators. A piece of work had commenced to understand the usage of the Council's Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) and to identify potential gaps in the local market for taxi providers. The report also noted an increasing trend of contracts being awarded to fewer, larger companies, raising concerns about potential market price dictation. The return to school in September was described as a busy period, with over 8,500 young people successfully returning to school on time.

Police Licensing Officers Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update from the Police Licensing Officers.

Update from the Taxi Licensing Team

Danial Farr, Principal Compliance Officer, had prepared an update on behalf of the Taxi Licensing Team as of August 2026. This update, attached to the agenda, covered several key areas:

• Wessex Devolution: Work continued on a collaborative taxi licensing project involving Wiltshire Council, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council, Dorset Council, and Somerset Council, aiming to develop a unified taxi licensing policy. A first draft of this policy was being reviewed by officers, with plans for a cross-party working group to provide member input.
• Safeguarding: The team implemented a large-scale training programme to ensure approximately 400 licensed drivers completed updated safeguarding training within a three-week period, following the reintroduction of a three-year refresher cycle.
• Service Improvements and Digital Systems: A new online booking system for vehicle inspection appointments (renewal, six-month compliance, and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle inspections) had been rolled out after a successful pilot. This system aimed to give licence holders more flexibility and reduce administrative demands.
• Uber: The licensing of Uber in Wiltshire had led to an increase in drivers registering and operating through the platform, resulting in a shift from Hackney Carriage licences to Private Hire licences. The team had also seen an increase in Private Hire Operator licence applications. A frequently asked questions document was distributed to guide drivers.
• Licence Revocation Appeal: The Council successfully defended its decision to revoke the licence of a Hackney Carriage driver at Swindon Magistrates' Court, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Council's fit and proper person policy. However, the costs awarded in the case resulted in a shortfall.
• Taxi Licensing Statistics: As of August 2026, the service administered 809 licensed vehicles and 728 licensed drivers, along with 147 Private Hire Operator licences.
• Performance Data: Between May and August 2026, 614 vehicle inspection appointments were booked, with 6% resulting in a failure to attend and 5% of vehicles failing inspection. The service was receiving an average of eight new driver applications per week.

Update from the Public Protection Licensing Team

Emma Pain, Public Protection Manager – Community Protection, had prepared an update for the committee. This update, attached to the agenda, covered:

• Event Management: The team had been busy supporting numerous events across Wiltshire, including over 10 Event Safety Advisory Group (ESAG) meetings. The Izambezi Festival was highlighted, where a Prohibition Notice was issued under the Health and Safety at Work Act due to public safety concerns, leading to a review of the Premises Licence by Wiltshire Police.
• Team Updates: Emma Hyde had returned from maternity leave, and Lauren Blake had joined the Technical Support Team following Julie Macey's retirement.
• Data Updates: The Arcus system continued to be refined, with a focus on digital service accessibility. The implementation of the new PaySuite financial system had impacted the Licensing Service, particularly in matching annual fee payments to licences. Figures for April to August 2026 showed 967 Temporary Event Notice applications, 33 new Premises Licence applications, 4 Premises Licence Reviews, 152 Personal Licence applications, and 8 Small Society Lotteries applications. 153 premises were suspended due to non-payment of fees.
• Complaints and Freedom of Information Requests: The team had seen an increase in complaints related to Temporary Event Notices, particularly during hot weather, leading to the development of additional guidance for event organisers in collaboration with Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service. There had also been a significant increase in complex Freedom of Information requests.
• Licensed Premises Inspections: A new risk rating system (Low, Medium, High) had been implemented to determine the timescale for future inspections, aiming for a planned inspection programme.
• Hearings: A table detailed recent and upcoming hearings, including the review of the Premises Licence for Shindig Festival, Charlton Park, Malmesbury, which resulted in no action, and the review of the Premises Licence for Tidworth Kebab & Pizza House, which led to the licence being revoked. A new application hearing for Stonehenge Campsite was granted.

Dates of Future Committee Meetings

Members were asked to note the dates of future Licensing Committee meetings scheduled for 7 December 2026 and 8 March 2027, both commencing at 10:30 am.

Urgent Items

The agenda noted that any other items of business considered urgent by the Chairman could be taken, with confidential urgent items potentially being considered under Part II of the agenda.