Agenda item

To consider the Head of Operational Services’ Report No. OS2216 (copy attached) setting out proposals for fees and charges for scrap metal and street trading.

The Committee considered the Head of Operational Services Report No. OS2216 which outlined the background and current fees for the Scrap Metal and Street Trading licensing regimes and sought approval for a proposed new fee scale, as set out in Appendix A to the Report. 

In common with many other local authorities, the Council had forecasted a funding gap over the Medium Term Financial Strategy period.  A Savings and Transformation Programme was already in place with the Council working on a number of cost reduction and income generation workstreams to mitigate the financial sustainability risk outlined in the Medium Term Financial Strategy.  Heads of Service were in the process of reviewing their services to ensure costs were minimised and that income from fees and charges took into account issues of cost recovery.  It was noted that the current fee structure for these regimes did not separate the administration and enforcement costs, as required by the Provision of Services Regulations 2009. 

In respect of scrap metal dealers, and having reviewed the Council’s current costs against some recent changes in structure and process, it had been found that the fees no longer accurately reflected the cost of administering the regime.  It was proposed that fees should be amended to achieve full cost recovery, as far as the Council was able to, in accordance with legislation.  The proposed new fee scale was set out in Appendix A (Table 1) to the Report with the recommendation to be implemented from 1st October 2022.   

In respect of street trading, the Council’s costs had been reviewed against some recent changes in structure and process, and it was found that the current fees and fee structure no longer accurately reflected the cost of administering the regime.  Members noted that both the current and proposed fees were generally below those of neighbouring authorities.  The comparison with neighbouring authorities was set out in Appendix B (Table 2).   Some authorities appeared to include the cost of rent of the pitch itself where on Council land (e.g. town centres).  Rushmoor charged separately for the rent of any land which was owned by the Council and, therefore, the proposed fees covered only the element of street trading consent.   It was proposed that fees should be amended for the on-going service to achieve full cost recovery as far as the Council was able to in accordance with associated legislation.  The proposed new fee scale was set out in Appendix A (Table 2). 

The Report set out the difference that the proposed fees were likely to make to the budget for the remainder of the financial year and the following financial year, based on current applications (Appendix C (Table 2)).  

The Committee noted that, before varying changes to the fees, legislation required local authorities to give notice to current licence holders and publish a notice in a local newspaper advertising the proposed changes and giving a reasonable period for representations to be made.  It was proposed that the Council should allow a period of 28 days for representations and, if there were no significant representations received within that period, that the proposed new fees should be implemented with effect from 1st December 2022.

The Committee was advised of alternative options and the risks and legal implications associated with the proposals. 

RESOLVED: That

(i)            approval be given to the proposed Scrap Metal Dealer Fees, as outlined in Report No. OS2216, to take effect from 1st October 2022; and

(ii)          approval be given to consultation in accordance with legislation in respect of the proposed Street Trading Fees and, should no significant representations be received, the proposed fees take effect from 1st December 2022.