Agenda and minutes

Apologies for non-attendance were received from Councillor Hammond who was substituted by Councillor Cox.

All Members are required to disclose at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter, any disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest in any item(s) being considered at this meeting.

Councillor Casey declared a pecuniary interest in item 02 of the Development Manager’s Report, item 8 on the agenda.

Councillor M Bradley declared a personal interest in item 7

To sign as a true and correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 7 June 2023.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 June 2023 were signed as a true and correct record.

(NOTE: The Board is required to receive a deputation(s) on a matter which is before the meeting of the Board provided that notice of the intended deputation and its object shall have been received by the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on 24 July 2023.  The total time for deputations in favour and against a proposal shall not exceed 10 minutes).

A deputation was received on item 6 of the Agenda- Proposed Amendments to Taxi Licensing.

(NOTE: The Board is required to allow a total of 15 minutes for questions from Members of the public on matters within the terms of reference of the Board provided that notice of such Question(s) shall have been submitted to the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on 24 June 2023).

There were none

This report sets out proposed updates to the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing requirements. These updates are necessary to take account of the Department for Transport’s Statutory Guidance for taxi and private hire vehicle standards publication (July 2020), trade and public feedback and developments within the licensing industry.

Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Environmental Health proposing amendments to the Taxi Licensing Requirements.

There was a deputation from Police & Crime Commissioner Donna Jones.

At the beginning of June I wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper MP, to ask him to change national licensing guidance to mandate CCTV in taxis and private hire vehicles.

This follows the conviction of a taxi driver in Southampton in May 2023 who was jailed for sexually assaulting a woman. The CCTV evidence in the taxi led to the conviction and prevented the victim from having to go through a trial due to the conclusive evidence. 

Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils licensing requirements for Hackneys and private hire already require CCTV to be fitted and I am calling for all Councils in Hampshire and Isle of Wight to follow suit with Gosport being the first to consider this issue.

Her letter to the secretary of State for Transport reads:

 Dear Mr Harper

I am writing to you in your role as Secretary of State for Transport to consider mandating CCTV in taxi and private hire vehicles after a taxi driver in Southampton was recently jailed for sexually assaulting a woman.

The woman could not recall the attack, but it was recorded on a camera inside the cab driver’s licensed private hire vehicle. Southampton City Council mandates cameras in taxis, but I know this is not the case in all jurisdictions.

I believe that needs to change to protect women from predatory men.

If we take this attack as an example, without the video evidence in this case, this man could have gone on to offend again and again, continually putting women in danger. This is a major loophole perpetrators can exploit. Women need to feel safe on a night out and they need to be able to trust those who are licensed to drive them home.

As Commissioner, I know that there is a cost involved in mandating this, and that there has been previous legal challenges from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) regarding risk to privacy, specifically in relation to audio recording. However this caseclearly demonstrates the value of mandating CCTV cameras.

As the Joint Victims Lead for the APCC, I strongly believe there are lessons to be learnt from horrific local incidents like this, just as much as the high profile cases we have witnessed over the last two years.

I am therefore respectfully asking you to consider reviewing the statutory licensing conditions for taxi and private hire vehicles in England and Wales to further strengthen the government’s commitment to tackling violence against women

The Head of Environmental Health introduced his report and advised Members that these updates were necessary due to statutory changes, changes in practice recognised by the licensing profession, and following feedback from the trade.

Members were advised that the statutory guidance in respect of CCTV requires that any response is proportionate and local evidence based. The level of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

The purpose of the report is to request the Board consider whether to confirm, amend and confirm, or not to confirm Tree Preservation Order G.152, where a representation/observation has been received following a period of public consultation.

Consideration was given to a report by the Borough Solicitor and Development Manager requesting the Board to consider whether to confirm, amend and confirm, or not to confirm Tree Preservation Order G.152, where a representation/observation has been received following a period of public consultation.

Members were advised that the interim TPO was made following an enquiry from the estate agent marketing the property where the tree is. The Council’s Arboricultural Officer had been to inspect the tree and due to the size, life expectancy and contribution to the character of the locale recommended that it should be subject to a TPO. Some tree work was identified as needing to be carried out and this would need to be the subject of an application for TPO consent before the work can be carried out.

A Member was concerned about the financial burden that placing a TPO can have on an owner.

RESOLVED: That the Board, in accordance with the provisions of the Town and Country (Tree Preservation) (England) Regulations 2012 confirmed Tree Preservation Order No G.152 relating to a Common Beech tree at 53 St Mary’s Avenue, Gosport PO12 2HU

Consideration was given to the report of the Development Manager, detailing applications for consideration.

23/00221/FULL –DEMOLITION OF EXISTING BUILDING AND ERECTION OF TWO BUILDINGS, FOR USE CLASSES E(G) (III) INDUSTRIAL PROCESS, B2 GENERAL INDUSTRIAL & B8 STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION USES WITH ASSOCIATED CAR PARKING, CYCLING PARKING, SERVICE YARD AND LANDSCAPING.

Unit 700 Fareham Reach 166 Fareham Road Gosport Hampshire PO13 0FP

Consideration was given to application 23/00221/FULL

Members were pleased to see a development that would increase employment opportunities in the Borough

RESOLVED: That application 23/00221/FULL be approved subject to the conditions in the report of the Development Manager.

23/00209/LBA LISTED BUILDING APPLICATION- REPLACEMENT OF EXISITING GARAGE METAL ROLLER DOOR AND PEDESTRIAN DOOR, WITH NEW TIMBER DOORS AND ASSOCIATED REPAIRS (CONSERVATION AREA)

3 Crescent Road, Gosport Hampshire PO12 2DH

Consideration was given to application 23/00209/LBA

Councillor Casey left the room and therefore took no part in the discussion.

RESOLVED: That application 23/00209/LBA be approved subject to the conditions in the report of the Development Manager.

That the Chairman considers urgent.