Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Mills, Lynch and Khan.

There were no disclosures of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2015 to be submitted and signed.

Copies of the minutes of this meeting are usually available seven working days following the meeting.

(All minutes are available on the Council’s website.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 12^th January 2015 were submitted and signed.

Report of the Head of Community and Customer Services

The Committee received a report of the Head of Community and Customer Services outlining the Food Safety Law Enforcement Service Plan 2015-17

          The Environmental Health Manager introduced the report.  He explained that the Plan was required by the Foods Standards Agency and that local authorities must have sufficient resources to deliver it.  He said that food safety was a very important issue so as to protect consumers and to avoid high profile cases; such as serious illness or death from food poisoning.  The intention was to seek better food ratings for Watford.  He outlined the Borough’s key achievements contained in the report and then discussed the following items:

·        Use of contractors.

·        Risk Based Inspection Programme.

·        Enforcement approach and associated statistics.

·        Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.

·        Feed and food complaints.

·        Advice to businesses

·        Control and investigation of outbreaks of food related infectious disease.

He concluded by making reference to a food hygiene course provided by the Council commenting that it had been extremely well received and was highly regarded.

Councillor S. Williams asked whether the figure of 592 caterers in Watford was high in comparison to other towns.  The Environmental Health Manager explained that in some areas the numbers were higher; such as in Dacorum Borough Council’s area where there were between 1300 to 1400.  There had been a 20 percent increase in caterers in Watford in the past five years.

In response to a question from Councillor I. Brown in relation to the 85 unrated registered food businesses and the target of 28 days from registration to inspection to reduce their number, the Environmental Health Manager explained that these were all low risk businesses with their inspection prioritised on the basis of the risks their activity presented.  In the main the businesses were childminders and home bakers.  He outlined the objective to reduce this number to 60 by the end of March and then to further reduce to ten.  Where it was not possible to inspect within the 28 days information was sent to the business to provide advice and assistance.  However, he was confident that the number would reduce significantly.  The Environmental Health and Licensing Section Head commented that there had been a back log of child minder inspections in the last year and that this would be cleared by the end of March.

Councillor Saffery asked a further question in relation to the Risk Based Inspection Programme with reference to the numbers in the A, B and C risk ratings.  The Environmental Health Manager explained that the details would not be fully known until verification had taken place but any businesses found to have full catering would be a higher priority.  He said that his Department had introduced improved systems that would enhance outcomes this year.   The Environmental Health and Licensing Section Head explained that a statutory form was completed by businesses that enabled a risk assessment to take place followed by a suitable grading and appropriate resources allocated to the level of priority.  Any backlog only related  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Report of the Head of Community and Customer Services

The Committee received a report of the Head of Community and Customer Services outlining a revised vehicle licensing policy and conditions.

The Licensing Officer introduced the report.  He explained that the policy and conditions had been amended due to changes in legislation, suggestions by drivers and input by officers.  He outlined how drivers were consulted during the review process; where issues of failing inspections for minor infringements and the number of seats in vehicles were raised as the predominant matters of concern.  With regard to the number of seats; it was now proposed that the seats licensed in a vehicle would equate to those as described in a vehicles’ registration certificate.

The Licensing Officer explained that the review process had included the updating of conditions that were out of date and the merging of two separate and lengthy policy and conditions documents into one streamlined document of seven pages; making this more convenient and more accessible.

The Licensing Officer proposed an amendment to Appendix Two of the report on page 42, item 8(2); removing the requirement for Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles to have a Ministry of Transport Test Certificate, regardless of the age of the vehicle, when applying for vehicle licences.  It was proposed that instead, a vehicle should not require such a certificate until it was one year old from the date of registration.  This would relax the current policy which in effect required new vehicles to have a certificate when applying for a vehicle license; this appeared somewhat disproportionate.  Also, the revised policy would bring Private Hire Vehicles in line with the law as it related to Hackney Carriages.  However, it was open to the Committee to prescribe any time period for up to three years from the date of registration for a Private Hire vehicle to have a test certificate (when they were required to have one by law), whereas it was only a legal requirement for a Hackney Carriage to have a certificate after the first year from registration.

Councillor Scudder asked why there was this disparity in the law in relation to the time periods when Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles had to have Ministry of Transport Test Certificates.  The Licensing Manager suggested that this may be because Private Hire operators had a greater degree of control than that in relation to a Hackney Carriage owner.  The Licensing Officer added that this might also be because Hackney Carriages undertook more mileage when plying for hire than Private Hire Vehicles which would only collect fares following booking.    

The Chair summarised the proposal explaining that it would provide equilibrium for both types of vehicle with an emphasis on safety. 

Councillor Derbyshire asked how steps could be taken in the future to ensure that vehicles were taxed; as tax discs were being dispensed with.  The Licensing Officer explained that checks would be undertaken during inspections using the vehicle registration certificate and going on to the gov.uk website.

Councillor Jeffree commented that keeping the time  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.