Agenda and draft minutes

The Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed all present. He explained it had been requested to vary the agenda, by hearing item 5d, Removal of Taxi Driver Knowledge Test, as the first of the public reports, with the subsequent reports to follow in published order.

On being proposed and seconded, and with all in favour, it was

            RESOLVED that the agenda be varied as above.

Up to 15 minutes are allowed for public participation.  Participants are restricted to 3 minutes each.

There was no public participation.

Members may make declarations of Interest at this point or may make them at any point in the meeting

There were no declarations of interest at this juncture.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2025.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Regulatory Committee held on Thursday 4 December 2025 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Members heard from the Senior Licensing and Community Safety Officer. It was explained that the purpose of the report was to recommend that the existing knowledge test, required to be passed by taxi drivers as part of their licence application, be removed and not replaced. It was believed that the knowledge test was no longer required as the existing “out of area” policy on its own allowed the Council to effectively manage and enforce against any risks of drivers predominantly operating out of area.

Members were advised of the history of the test having been introduced, as well as the measures in place alongside the application process. The Committee expressed their support and felt the test was an unnecessary burden in the application process.

The recommendation was duly proposed, seconded, and voted upon, and it was

RESOLVED that the requirement for a knowledge test to be carried out by any driver applying for a hackney carriage vehicle license within West Lindsey be removed.

The Committee heard from the Head of Environmental Services regarding the recommended extension of the Dog Fouling Public Space Protection Order. Members heard that in June 2023 the Council designated its “Dog Fouling Public Space Protection Order” (PSPO), which was in place until 6 June 2026. This PSPO focused on dog fouling and disposal and applied across the whole district. It also included a provision for individuals to carry and have available a means to remove dog fouling. It was recommended to extend this order until 2029.

Members heard mention of the work which was undertaken regarding the enforcement of the PSPO as well as ongoing work with local communities and parish councils. It was recognised that the recommendation would take the PSPO beyond Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), offering extended protection for the district before the new authority was required to consider next steps.

Members were supportive of the planned extension, and agreed that it should be in place in advance of LGR. In response to a request from Members, it was confirmed that the outcome statistics would be separated out per location and shared with the Committee. The work of the enforcement officers was praised, as well as the support provided to parish councils and community groups.

Having been moved, seconded, and voted upon, it was

RESOLVED that the Dog Fouling Public Space Protection Order, be extended for a three-year period from 7 June 2026 to 6 June 2029.

The Committee gave consideration to the Food, Health and Safety Work Plan 2026/27. It was explained that the Council was required to produce and approve a work plan that was in line with the Food Standards Agency Framework Agreement and the Statement of Commitment agreed nationally between Local Authority Representatives and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This plan covered all work undertaken within the Housing and Environmental Enforcement work area relating to Food and Health and Safety.

The purpose of the work plan was to set out how the Council delivered its official controls and fulfilled its duties under food, health and safety, public health and drinking water legislation. Members heard that the additional capacity created within the team had seen them achieve a significantly improved number of inspections. It was anticipated that, whilst there would be some staffing and system changes which may impact on efficiency of work for a short period, there were no concerns raised regarding ability to complete the work plan. A further breakdown of this would be provided at the December update.

Members put on record their thanks to the team and reiterated their faith in the team. The achievement of exceeding target was praised, with full support voiced for the coming year.

In response to a question regarding fees, it was explained that routine inspections did not incur a fee, however if an inspection was requested in advance of the next planned one, for example if a premises had received a low hygiene rating, made improvements, and wished to be re-inspected to achieve a higher rating, there was a fee charged. The fees were set during the annual fees and charges setting through the policy committees.

Having been proposed, seconded, and voted upon, it was

RESOLVED that

a)    the Food, Health and Safety Work Plan as detailed at Appendix 1 be approved; and

b)    an update on progress against the plan be brought to Regulatory Committee at its meeting in December 2026.

Members heard from the Senior Licensing and Community safety Officer regarding the extension of the pavement licensing sub-delegation. It was explained that in September 2024, the Regulatory Committee agreed to delegate the District Council’s function under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 for “Pavement Licenses” to Lincolnshire County Council for a further 24 months up until the September 2026. There were three such licences in West Lindsey, and it was not considered viable for the Council to deliver the service directly.

In response to enquiries regarding the number of venues in the district with outside seating but only three licenses being in existence, it was explained that land ownership was the primary consideration and licences were only required for spaces used on public land. Members were advised to notify Officers of any particular concerns.

There was further discussion regarding the fee chargeable for the licence, however it was recognised that Lincolnshire County Council opted not to charge. It was considered that the charge could be prohibitive to small businesses, and the approach of the County Council was appreciated.

Having been proposed, seconded, and voted upon, it was

RESOLVED that the District Council’s function in relation to “Pavement Licenses” under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 be delegated to Lincolnshire County Council until September 2029