Meeting Details

RESOLVED that: the minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2025 were a correct record. 

Councillor C Spindler declared an other registerable interest in the item, by virtue of her membership of Rotary, and accordingly withdrew from the meeting.

Councillor Buston declared an other registerable interest in the item, by virtue of his membership of the Royal British Legion, and accordingly withdrew from the meeting.

The Committee considered a report which sought its approval of the Charity Collections Policy, Procedures and Guidance document (the Policy) subject to a public consultation for a period of 4 weeks.

Sarah White, Licensing Team Leader, attended the meeting to present the report and assist the Committee with its enquiries. The Policy was of long standing and had been reviewed and updated, in part to encourage the submission of online applications and returns and to remove some of the restrictions placed on applicants, such as the need to provide proof of public liability insurance. The provision of this insurance was a matter for the charity concerned, and it was suggested that this was not a matter for the Licensing Team to enforce due to the delays caused with processing applications, and the volume of additional work which was generated, for which it not possible to levy a charge. No issues had been experienced with respect to charitable collections and public liability insurance, although it was important to note that Officers were not saying that public liability insurance was not required, just that its provision did not form part of the application process. The Policy proposed that longer collection periods be authorised in respect of Rotary, and the Royal British Legion’s poppy appeal to formalise an existing arrangement which was of long standing.

A member of the Committee had emailed Officers prior to the meeting noting typographical errors in the Policy, and it was confirmed that these would be corrected.

A Committee member had received feedback that some members of the public had felt intimidated when approached by groups of people asking for donations in the High Street, what enforcement options were available to combat this practice if a problem was reported? The Licensing Team Leader confirmed that direct debit collections were covered by the Policy, but were not covered by law, and an agreement had been reached with the fundraisers to try to control collections taking place in the city centre. If problems were encountered, a report should be made to the Council’s Licensing Team who worked closed with colleagues in Street Services.

In response to questioning from the Committee, the Licensing Team Leader confirmed that a mechanism was in please to ensure that organisations did not have more than the 2 street collections which were permitted per annum, although demand for street collections had dropped in recent years. In respect of item 38 in the Policy, Officers would add in Mersea and the city centre.

RESOLVED that:

- The Charity Collections Policy, Procedures and Guidance be approved for the purposes of public consultation for a period of 4 weeks. 

The Committee considered a report which sought its approval of the draft Statement of Licensing Policy (the Policy) to enable a formal consultation to take place.

Sarah White, Licensing Team Leader, attended the meeting to present the report and assist the Committee with its enquiries. The Committee heard that the Policy had been the subject of a very light touch review, and although a full review of the Policy was needed it was necessary to have the Policy in place by January 2026. The Committee was therefore asked to approve the Policy presented to it as an interim measure until a detailed revision could be carried out.

A Committee member considered that the Policy was, by necessity, a complex document which covered a wide array of the Council’s activities. He approved of the Policy which was before the Committee and would welcome simplification of the Policy which it was subject to a full review and the inclusion of a preface setting out the areas which the Policy was required by statute to cover. There was a need to make the Policy as clear as possible to increase its usefulness to the layperson who may need to read and understand it. The approach to the Policy which had been suggested by Officers was a good one, and future improvements to it would be welcomed.

Paul Donaghy, Licensing, Community Safety and Safeguarding Manager, attended the meeting and offered his support for the suggestions which had been made. In reviewing other Council policies, Officers had taken care to simplify them to make them easier to read and understand, and this process would also be applied to this Policy which ensuring that everything required was covered by it. The Committee heard that the Council’s new licensing website would also be much more directed towards the needs of the user. The Committee offered its support to the Policy remaining a ‘live’ document which was amended as required by changes in legislation or regulations, potentially consisting of a number of modules which could be added in, removed or amended as necessary.

In response to a number of questions from a member of the Committee, the Licensing Team Leader confirmed that sections of the Policy which had been in bold text had been to highlight previous changes, and it was not possible to re-bold this text as the highlight was no longer required, and people with visual impairments may struggle to read bold text. References to film classification had been removed as the classification of films was now covered by a separate policy.

A Committee member considered paragraph 82 of the proposed Policy, and wondered whether places of worship could also be included here? The Licensing Team Leader confirmed that this amendment could be made.

In discussion, the Committee recalled the series of wonderful events which had been held in Castle Park during the summer, were such events managed in accordance with the Policy, or dealt with separately? The Licensing, Community Safety and Safeguarding Manager confirmed that as licensed events, the summer concerts were governed by the Policy and had been very well planned events with input from all partners and stakeholders. Detailed debriefs would be carried out and any improvements considered necessary would be implemented in the future.

RESOLVED that:

- The Licensing Act 2003 Policy 2025-2031 be approved for the purposes of public consultation for a period of 4 weeks. 

The Committee considered a report which set out its work programme for the current municipal year. It requested that an alternate name be found for the Council’s Boatperson Policy, suggesting Boar Operative Policy instead.

The Committee requested that consideration be given to providing it with an update on the progress of local government reorganisation and the implications for licensing towards the end of the municipal year.

RESOLVED that: the contents of the report be noted.