Report of the Executive Director of Environment.
Minutes:
The Committee received a report of the Executive Director for Environment, concerning the approval of the annual fees for those premises requiring a licence for Massage and Special Treatments (MSTs), which included premises seeking to register for acupuncture, tattooing, cosmetic piercing, or electrolysis.
Following a query, it was noted that owing to case law, fees were set on a full cost recovery basis and not on a competitive level against the fees charged by other local authorities. Similar licensing fees could vary and depend on compliance levels. The City of London had high compliance rates and low enforcement activity. Fees were set based on officer time in administering and enforcing the service, and the hourly rate, which included covering all overheads.
Officers were aware of a Private Members’ Bill in relation to cosmetic treatments, but those treatments were not scoped out in the legislation before the Committee. Officers were not aware of any such venues in the City operating non-surgical treatments provided by a medically unqualified professional.
It was queried why the fees were not increased in accordance with inflation. Officers reassured the Committee that the fees could only be based on full cost recovery, noting that not all the MST were increasing due to an over recovery of costs in prior years.
RESOLVED – That Members:
Supporting documents: