The Regulatory Licensing Committee of Wandsworth Council was scheduled to discuss proposed changes to discretionary fees and charges for various licences for the 2026/27 financial year. The committee was also due to review and confirm the minutes of its previous meeting.

Discretionary Fees and Charges 2026/27

A joint report from the Executive Director of Resident Services and the Executive Director of Finance outlined proposed revisions to fees for licences administered by the committee, with the aim of these changes taking effect from 1st April 2026. The report emphasised that fees are reviewed in line with the Council's charging policy, which seeks to maximise charges for specific services to minimise any indirect subsidy from council tax payers, provided the market can bear the increases. The projected additional income for the 2026/27 financial year from these revised fees is approximately £6,000, with the expectation that the increases are set to recover incurred costs and therefore have no effect on net budgets.

The report detailed the rationale behind the fee structure, referencing the Provision of Services Regulations 2009 and the landmark Supreme Court judgment in R (on the application of Hemmings (t/a Simply Pleasure Ltd) and others) v Westminster City Council [2015]. This judgment clarified that local authorities can recover the full costs of managing and enforcing licensing schemes, including investigation and prosecution costs for unlicensed operators, provided fees are proportionate and not levied before an application is granted. Consequently, fees are split between the authorisation process and the ongoing management and enforcement of the licensing scheme.

Specific areas covered by the proposed fee changes include:

• Public Control Licensing: This encompasses a range of licences, including those for animal welfare activities such as boarding establishments for dogs and cats, home boarding, dog breeding, and pet shops. Fees for riding establishments, animal performing licences, and dangerous wild animals were also reviewed. The report noted that the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 have led to changes in the licensing process, with higher risk premises subject to more frequent inspections, impacting associated costs. Zoo licensing fees were also discussed, with a revised approach to charging for initial authorisation and subsequent inspections. Special Treatment Establishments, such as those offering massage services, were also subject to proposed fee adjustments, with categories based on risk levels (low, medium, and high). Fees for auction houses, certificates for the shipment of bodies, and hypnotism authorisations were also detailed.
• Sex Establishments: The report addressed fees for sex shops, sex cinemas, and sexual entertainment venues. It highlighted that the Hemmings v Westminster City Council case had specific relevance to sex establishment licences. The report indicated that the authority had not received applications for these licences for many years, making accurate cost calculation difficult, and that the fees had remained the same as the previous year.
• Scrap Metal Dealers: Proposed fees for scrap metal dealer site licences and scrap metal collectors were outlined, with variations for new applications, renewals, and licence variations.
• Miscellaneous Licensing Fees: This category included fees for auction houses, certificates for the shipment of bodies, and authorisations for hypnotism.
• Pre-Application Advice: Fees for pre-application advice services were detailed, covering various levels of assistance for different types of licence applications, including those for events.
• Safety Certificates for Sports Grounds and Stands: For these, the report stated that fees would be determined on a case-by-case basis.

The report recommended that the committee approve the revised licence fees as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, to come into effect from 1st April 2026 or as otherwise laid down by statute. The Executive Director of Finance commented that the projected income increase of around £6,000 was expected to have no effect on net budgets as the fees were set to recover costs.

The meeting was scheduled to be chaired by Councillor Ffrench, with Councillor McLeod serving as Deputy Chair. Other members of the committee were Councillors Boswell, Brooks, Humphries, Marshall, and Sweet.