The Licensing & Regulatory Committee will be provided with a report on a range of licensing activity undertaken by the authority over the previous quarter. The meeting will also consider reports setting out the legal framework for the regulation of passenger vehicles and sports grounds.

Sports Grounds

A report has been prepared for this meeting outlining how the authority regulates sports grounds. It notes that the Authority has powers to issue safety certificates to confirm that sports grounds are safe. Two such certificates have been issued in Northumberland, for:

• Croft Park, the home of Blyth Spartans F.C.
• Shielfield Park, the home of Berwick Rangers F.C. and Tweedmouth Rangers F.C. The report goes on to describe work the authority is undertaking to strengthen its approach to the regulation of events, which will include the creation of a standing Safety Advisory Group.

Decision Making

A report will be provided to this meeting that describes the different ways the Licensing & Regulatory Committee can make decisions about licensing. The report describes the role of subcommittees, and how officers can be delegated to make decisions about licensing. It also includes a flowchart to describe the different ways decisions can be made: 5bSchematicAppendix 2FINALA3 COLOUR

Passenger Vehicles

Councillor Gordon Stewart, the Cabinet Member for Looking After our Communities, has requested that a report be prepared for this meeting that describes the regulations surrounding 'Executive Hire' vehicles. These include chauffeur services, limousines, and some school and day centre transport services. The report focuses in particular on the rules that apply to these vehicles when they are exempt from some licensing requirements:

For small vehicles, these do require a licence from the local authority. But the legislation provides for dispensations that can be offered. This relates to the requirement to display a plate, disc or notice in or on it.

Quarterly Activity Update

The Committee will be asked to note a report by Councillor Gordon Stewart, that summarises the licensing activity undertaken in the authority between July and September 2024. The report lists the number of licences issued for different activities including:

• Animal boarding
• Pet shops
• Dog breeding
• Keeping/training animals for exhibition
• Riding establishments
• Caravan sites
• House to house collections
• Street collections
• Scrap metal collector
• Scrap metal site
• Street Trading
• Tattoo, acupuncture, ear piercing, permanent makeup etc.
• Zoo
• Hackney carriage
• Private hire vehicle
• Hackney carriage drivers
• Private hire drivers
• Private hire operators The report also summarises the decisions made by the committee's subcommittees.

Future Work Programme

A report will be put to the committee suggesting a framework for deciding what the committee will discuss at future meetings. The suggested framework includes topics such as a review of the fees charged for licenses, and consideration of taxi fares. It also sets out the following schedule of future meetings:

• 12 February 2025
• 20 February 2025
• 23 April 2025
• June 2025