The Licensing and Appeals Committee of Wokingham Council met on Tuesday 20 January 2026 to discuss proposed fees and charges for licensable activities for the 2026/27 financial year. The committee also confirmed the minutes of their previous meeting.

Fees and Charges for Licensable Activity 2026/27

The committee considered a report detailing proposed fees and charges for licensable activities for the 2026/27 financial year. Keiran Hinchliffe, Licensing Service Manager, explained that while many fees are set by government statute, the council has discretion over others, known as discretionary fees. These discretionary fees were proposed to increase by 5% to cover rising operational costs, a more moderate increase compared to neighbouring authorities in the Public Protection Partnership (PPP) who proposed a 7.2% rise.

The report highlighted that the licensing service had been operating understaffed for the past 18 months, leading to pressure and an unsustainable situation, although this had resulted in a notable underspend. The cost of a fully staffed service was estimated at £450,000 per year. An amendment to the report introduced a new fee of £269 for mid-term animal welfare inspections, additional visits, or unplanned inspections. This fee reflects a direct pass-through cost from the City of London, which provides specialist animal welfare inspection services on behalf of Wokingham Borough Council. Previously, these inspection costs had not been passed on to licence holders.

During the discussion, councillors raised several points:

• Comparison with PPP: Councillor Pauline Jorgensen sought clarification on the 7.2% increase proposed by PPP authorities, with Mr. Hinchliffe stating that Wokingham's benchmarking supported a more moderate increase.
• Impact of Understaffing: It was confirmed that understaffing had created significant challenges, with staff working overtime and weekends, primarily maintaining processing levels with minimal enforcement.
• Animal Welfare Inspections: Councillor Jorgensen inquired about the use of vets for dog boarding inspections. Mr. Hinchliffe clarified that animal welfare inspectors with a BTEC Level 3 qualification are used for home boarding, while vets remain mandatory for horse riding establishments.
• Legal Support Costs: Keiran Hinchliffe confirmed that legal support costs for hearings were not included in the current fees but would be captured in an ongoing review with consultant David Thrale.
• Future Fee Increases: Councillor Rob Comber suggested a potential increase above 5% to account for unknown non-staffing costs, creating a smoothing effect. David Thrale noted that future automation aims to offset potential price increases by reducing staffing costs.
• Surpluses: Councillors questioned the rationale for fee increases given a cumulative surplus of £241,000 over recent years. Mr. Hinchliffe explained that previous years showed costs, and the current forecast profit was due to understaffing, balancing out previous deficits. David Thrale added that surpluses should offset deficits over a five-year cycle.
• Taxi Licensing Fees: Councillor Jorgensen pointed out inconsistencies in incremental charges for additional vehicles and questioned the 20-vehicle cap. She proposed a flat incremental charge of £95 for each additional vehicle and the removal of the cap. This was supported by the committee and agreed to be amended before going to the Executive.
• Report Structure and Consultation: Councillor Marc Brunel-Walker requested a clearer report structure for future years, distinguishing statutory from discretionary fees. Councillors also advocated for earlier presentation of fees (October) and a formal consultation process with the licensed trade, such as a forum. David Thrale agreed to these suggestions, noting the unique challenges of taxi licensing consultation.
• Automation and Upskilling: Councillors supported automation for value-added services and suggested upskilling existing staff. David Thrale confirmed plans to update the back-office system to automate manual processes.

Decisions Made:

The committee resolved to:

1. Note the fees and charges set out in Appendix A and Appendix B of the amended document as part of the Council's annual fee and charges process.
2. Recommend to the Executive the adjustment in fees proposed in the paper for discretionary fees, subject to the amendment to implement a flat £95 incremental charge for each additional private hire vehicle, removing the current tiered structure and the 20-vehicle cap.