To receive apolgies for absence

12.1    Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Vicky Moore and Colin Taylor

12.2    Councillor Mark Morris substituted for Councillor Taylor

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a true record

13.1    RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 18 June 2025 be agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman

To receive any public questions or petitions from the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.  The deadline for this meeting is 12 noon on Thursday 2 October 2025

14.1    There were no public questions

Members are reminded that they must declare their disclosable pecuniary interests and other registrable or non-registrable interests in any matter being considered at the meeting as set out in Appendix B of the Members’ Code of Conduct and consider if they should leave the room prior to the item being considered. Further advice can be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

15.1    Members were reminded that they must declare their disclosable pecuniary interests and other registrable or non-registrable interests in any matter being considered at the meeting as set out in Appendix B of the Members’ Code of Conduct and consider if they should leave the room prior to the item being considered.

15.2    Councillor Mark Morris stated that was a partner with his wife in a private hire business and was licenced with the Council both as an operator and a driver and that he had a pecuniary interest in item 5 – Licencing Fees and Charges.  He stated that he would leave the meeting and take no part in the discussion and voting on the item

Report of the Transactional Management and Licensing Manager is attached.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

16.1    Members received the report of the Transactional Management and Licensing – Team Manager which set out the revision of licensing fees where the authority has the discretion to determine the relevant fees for the financial year from 2026 – 2027

16.2    The Transactional and Licensing Team Manager advised the meeting that licence fees were ring-fenced and that the aim was to be cost neutral or fees had to be reinvested into licencing and could not be used outside of the licencing system.

16.3    The Transactional and Licensing Team Manager informed the meeting that the process for setting the fees was to use a 3-year rolling window, using the actual figures from 2024/25 and the estimated number of licences issues in 2025/26 and 2026/27.

16.4    The Transactional and Licensing Team Manager informed Members that there were 3 types of fees, statutory fees where the Council had no discretion, fees where the council could charge up to a maximum fee and fees where the amount was totally discretionary          .

16.5    The Transactional and Licensing Team Manager advised the meeting that if the Committee agreed the proposed fees they would be taken to full Council in February as part of the wider corporate fees and charges report which if agreed would come into force at the start of the new financial year.  She informed the meeting that the only exception to this was the taxi fees which had to undergo a separate consultation which would take place from mid-January, and that if there were no objections those fees would come into effect the day after the consultation closed.  She added that if the were objections, a further report would be brought to the March meeting of the Strategic Licencing Committee.

16.5    In response to a question regarding whether fees from one income stream could be used to offset losses in other streams the Transactional and Licensing Team Manager advised that in some cases it was possible but that it depended on which legislation the charge was made under.

16.6       RESOLVED:

a.    That the Committee notes the statutory fees that Shropshire Council is required to charge in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003 as set out in Appendix A, in accordance with the Gambling Act 2005 as set out in Appendix B and in accordance with explosives and fireworks legislation as set out in Appendix C and recommends that the authority implements these fees (or if subject to statutory amendment, the relevant amended fees) on the 1 April 2026 and instructs the Transactional Management and Licensing Team Manager to arrange for the fees to be included in the 2026/27 annual fees and charges reports that are presented to Cabinet and Council and further instructs the Transactional Management and Licensing Team Manager to implement, as appropriate, any other statutory fees that may be brought into force during the 2026/27 financial year and to publish all relevant statutory fees on the licensing pages of the Council’s website as soon as is practicable. 

b.    That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Report of the Transactional Management and Licensing Manager is attached.

Contact: Mandy Beever (01743 251702)

17.1    Members received the report of the Transactional Management and Licensing – Team Manager which gave details of the licences issued and the variations that have been made between 1 June 2025 and the 31 August 2025, and a summary of applications considered by the Committee

17.2    The Transactional Management and Licensing Team Manager reminded Members that the report was brought to each meeting of the committee and that it updated them on the number and types of licences that had been issued since the last meeting

17.3    In response to a question the Transactional Management and Licensing Team Manager advised that pavement licences were for where licenced premises wanted to place table and chairs on the pavement, whereas pavement permits were for where shops wanted to display goods on the pavement adjacent to their shop.

17.5    RESOLVED

          That the report of the Transactional Management and Licensing Team Manager bed norted

To note that the next scheduled meeting of the Strategic Licensing Committee will be held on Wednesday 17 December 2025 at 10.00am

18.1    RESOLVED:

That it be noted that the next scheduled meeting of the Strategic Licensing Committee will be held on Wednesday 17 December 2025 at 10.00am.