The Licensing Committee of Kensington and Chelsea Council met on Thursday, 12 February 2026, to discuss proposed changes to fees for various licensing activities and to review existing licensing policies. The meeting's agenda included discussions on pavement licensing, British Summertime licensing, and other highway amenities, as well as a broader review of licensing fees across several categories.

Pavement Licensing, British Summertime Licensing, and Licensing Amenities on the Highway Fees and Charges 2026/27

The committee was scheduled to consider proposals for updated fees and charges related to pavement licensing, British Summertime licensing, and the placement of amenities on the highway for the 2026/27 financial year. The report indicated a recommendation to approve these proposed fee schedules.

A key proposal was to extend the duration of pavement licences from one year to two years. While the fee for new and renewal pavement licences would remain at £500 and £350 respectively, the extended duration would mean fewer applications processed annually, potentially reducing council income despite processing costs falling. This change was intended to reduce the bureaucratic burden on businesses.

For British Summertime licensing, which covers temporary terraces on footway extensions and suspended parking bays, proposals included increasing the implementation fee and monitoring fee by five per cent, rounded. Similar to pavement licences, approvals for summertime terraces were proposed to cover two seasons. This would mean no implementation fee would be levied for a terrace's second season, though the monitoring fee would continue to be charged annually. The report also noted a shift from issuing three rounds of invoices for monitoring fees to a single invoice in June to simplify administration and improve revenue recovery.

Regarding other licensing amenities on the highway, the report outlined proposed fees for businesses not in the hospitality sector that apply for licences to place tables and chairs under the Highways Act 1980. These licences would also be offered for two-year durations. A longstanding fee for monitoring outdoor seating areas after 9 pm, which was focused on the hospitality sector, was proposed for removal as it was no longer considered relevant.

The report detailed financial implications, estimating an average annual reduction in income of £116,000, which was proposed to be financed by more targeted issuance of Fixed Penalty Notices for highway and environmental crime.

Review of Licensing Fees

The committee was also scheduled to review and propose changes to fees charged for various licences, notifications, and annual fees, effective from 1 April 2026. The report explained that local authorities are entitled to charge reasonable fees that do not exceed the cost of running the service, a principle reinforced by the Hemmings case decision. These fees are typically divided into two parts: Part A for processing applications and Part B for monitoring and enforcement, payable only if a licence is granted.

The report indicated that for most licensing schemes, proposed increases would be between 2% and 3%. However, significant increases were noted for animal licences, ranging from 5.5% to 42%, due to increased inspection fees charged by the City of London Animal Health and Welfare Services. The report projected an overall increase in income of £6,807 for the licensing budget, excluding pavement licensing and summertime terraces.

Specific fee schedules were presented for various licence types, including:

• Gambling Premises Licences: Proposed changes to application and annual fees for casinos, adult gaming centres, betting premises, bingo premises, and family entertainment centres. Most application fees remained at their maximum permitted levels, with some annual fees seeing modest increases.
• Special Treatment and Other Licences: This included proposed fee adjustments for special treatment licences, animal licences (selling animals as pets, boarding, breeding, dog day care, hiring out horses, keeping/training animals for exhibition, scrap metal dealers), and dangerous wild animals licences. The animal licensing fees showed the most substantial percentage increases due to external inspection costs.
• Sex Establishment Licences: Proposed changes to fees for sex shops, sex cinemas, and sexual entertainment venues, with modest percentage increases for grant, renewal, and variation applications.
• Pre-Application Advice: Fees for pre-application advice, which are subject to VAT, were also proposed for adjustment across different tiers of service complexity.

The report stated that all proposed fee structures must be reasonable and proportionate to the costs incurred by the council and should not be used to generate profit. Any surplus or loss in a financial year would lead to adjustments in fees for the following year.

The meeting also included a 72-second silence to remember those who lost their lives in the Grenfell tragedy. Apologies for absence were noted, and declarations of interest were to be made by committee members. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 October 2025 were also scheduled for confirmation.