Issue - meetings

To consider the introduction of fees for all licensing activity and compliance for residential mobile home sites. To adopt the relevant policies that set out the fee calculation and how compliance on sites will be enforced. 

It was PROPOSED by Councillor Palethorpe and SECONDED by Councillor Williams and

RESOLVED

That the Executive adopt the fees as set out in the fees policy.

The Executive considered the report which considered the introduction of fees for all licensing activity and compliance for residential mobile home sites. The report also considered the relevant policies that set out the fee calculation and how compliance on sites will be enforced.

The Deputy Leader introduced the item, gave an overview of the proposal and thanked those officers involved in formulating the proposal.

The Appendices included in the report pack included a summary of the consultation responses, the Fee Policy and an Equality Impact Assessment.

The Council currently licences 35 residential mobile homes sites which cover approximately 1,400 units of accommodation. The Council does not charge any fees for this work but has a statutory duty to licence the sites and ensure compliance with the site licence conditions. The report set out the rational forcharging for all licensing activity and compliance with a fee policy which complies with the government guidance.

The proposal sets out that the Council would charge for the following licensing activities: issuing a site licence, transferring a site licence, altering conditions, depositing site rules and a fit and proper person application on an annual basis based on the number of units within bands. Following the first year all sites will be risk rated and then an escalator based on the level of risk will be applied to each site.

A consultation was undertaken on the Fees Policy from 8th July 2024 to 23rd August 2024. There were 20 responses from site owners which is a 48% response rate. Regarding the proposed fee structure only 6 answered this question with 50% in agreement and 50% in disagreement.

Councillors Williams and G Taylor spoke in support of the proposals.

The matter having been debated and the options and alternatives and other relevant factors highlighted (e.g. financial, legal and risk implications),it was PROPOSED by Councillor Palethorpe and SECONDED by Councillor Williams and

RESOLVED

That the Executive adopt the fees as set out in the fees policy.