Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director Environment setting out the high-level business plan for the Environment Department for 2023/24.

The Committee expressed its discomfort at approving the business plan for areas of the Environment Department outside of licensing.

Members discussed the importance of striking the right balance between providing too much or too little licensing information within the high-level business plan. A Member stated that the plan was useful in ensuring that the disparate areas of the Environment Department were working towards the same goals. Members agreed that the plan in its current form did not contain enough information about how licensing contributes to the overall Environment Department strategy.

The Committee requested that an annex or sub-section focusing on licensing be added to the report and brought to a future meeting.

The Chair informed the Committee that he, the Deputy Chair and Officers in the Environment Department would explore how the Licensing Committee could be more involved in setting the licensing strategy in the future.

RESOLVED, that Members –

·         Note the factors taken into consideration in compiling the Environment Department Business Plan; and

·         Approve, subject to the incorporation of any changes sought by this Committee, the elements of the departmental high-level Business Plan 2023/24 which fall within the remit of the Licensing Committee.