The Havant Borough Council Licensing Committee is scheduled to meet on 14 October 2025 to discuss hackney carriage and private hire licensing fees, and the Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005¹. The committee will also be asked to approve the minutes of previous meetings.

Review of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Fees

The committee will be asked to consider a report outlining the proposed fees for hackney carriage (taxi) and private hire licensing for the financial year 2026-27.

The report states that the proposed fees are based on a pricing model which takes into consideration the true cost to the council of providing taxi and private hire licensing services. The council has revised the pricing model, ensuring that the true cost of delivering taxi and private hire licensing services is reflected. The following key changes have been made to the pricing model:

• Staffing costs have been recalculated to accurately capture the time spent by varying levels of staff.
• A comprehensive review of the costs of materials incurred in the delivery of each service has been undertaken.
• The benchmarking exercise has been expanded to include all licensing authorities in the South East, in recognition of customers' 'licence shopping'.

The report notes that the revisions to the pricing model have resulted in several fees for taxi and private hire licensing services reducing by up to 24%. An increase of up to 37% is proposed for the licensing of hackney carriage vehicles, due to the cost of undertaking the hackney carriage unmet demand survey, which must be undertaken every three years as per the Department for Transport's 'Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing best practice guidance for licensing authorities in England (updated November 2023)'.

The report presents three options for the committee's consideration:

1. Approve the proposed fees and charges (Appendix A) for public consultation, with subsequent adoption if no representations are received
2. Approve a modified schedule of fees for consultation, with adoption subject to the same conditions.
3. Maintain current fees and charges (i.e., freeze them).

The responsible officer recommends option 1, stating that the proposed fees are robust, legally compliant, and based on a full cost-recovery model.

The report also details the implications and comments from the Section 151 Officer Steven Pink, the Monitoring Officer Jo McIntosh, and discusses the legal, equality and diversity, human resources, information governance, and climate and environment implications of the proposals.

The report states that in accordance with legislative requirements, the proposed fees for vehicle and operator licences will be subject to a formal 28-day public consultation period. The report also states that all licensed taxi and private hire drivers, vehicle proprietors and operators will be written to, notifying them of the proposed fees and the option to submit objections.

Appendix A lists the proposed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Fees for 2026/27. For example, a new Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence is proposed to cost £348.00, while a renewal would cost £334.00. A new Private Hire Operator Licence (5 years) is proposed to cost £539.00.

Appendix B provides a pricing model for the 2026/27 financial year, detailing the staff costs, overheads, process and materials costs, and total costs for each service.

Appendix C contains a draft public notice regarding the proposed taxi and private hire licensing fees from 1 April 2026. The notice states that any objections to the proposed variation should be sent in writing to the Licensing & Animal Welfare Team Leader at Havant Borough Council by 21 November 2025.

Appendix D is an integrated impact assessment.

Review of Statement of Principles (Gambling Act 2005)

The committee will be asked to consider a report on the review of the Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005. The council is required to publish and review its Statement of Principles every three years. The current Statement of Principles expires on 19 September 2026.

The report presents the revised draft Statement for the committee's approval prior to public consultation, ensuring the council's approach remains up-to-date, transparent, and aligned with national guidance.

The Gambling Commission's 'Guidance to Licensing Authorities' was last updated in July 2025. The report notes that these were only minor formatting changes to improve readability and accessibility, so minimal amendments are required to align the council's Statement with the current guidance from the main regulatory body for gambling activities.

The report presents three options for the committee's consideration:

1. Approve the revised Statement of Principles for consultation.
2. Delay the review and approval of the revised Statement of Principles until 2026.
3. Not review or approve the revised Statement of Principles at this time or in 2026.

The responsible officer recommends option 1.

The report also details the implications and comments from the Section 151 Officer Steven Pink, the Monitoring Officer Jo McIntosh, and discusses the legal, equality and diversity, human resources, information governance, and climate and environment implications of the proposals.

The report states that it is proposed that the draft revised Statement of Principles undergoes a 4-week public consultation process following approval by the Licensing Committee. The report also states that the council is required to specifically consult the Chief of Police for the area, persons who appear to the council to represent the interests of persons carrying on gambling businesses, and persons who appear to the council to represent the interests of persons who are likely to be affected by the exercise of the council's functions under the Act.

Appendix A contains the draft revised Statement of Principles, with proposed additions shown in green font. The statement outlines the council's approach to licensing gambling activities within the borough, ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way, is not associated with crime or disorder, and protects children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited.

The statement includes sections on:

• Interpretation of key terms
• Licensing objectives
• Responsible authorities
• Interested parties
• Representations
• Disclosure/exchange of information
• Enforcement
• Havant Borough Council functions
• Premises licences
• Provisional statements
• Adult gaming centres
• Licensed family entertainment centres
• Bingo
• Betting
• Tracks
• Travelling fairs
• Permits/temporary and occasional use notices
• Miscellaneous matters

The statement also includes appendices with a map of the borough and guidance notes on the registration of a small society lottery.

Minutes of the previous meeting

The committee will be asked to approve the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 27 May 2025, and the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Sub Committee held on 23 September 2025.