Nithsdale Area Regulatory Committee

LICENSING PANEL

Meeting of Friday 13 January 2012

at 2pm in Council Hall, English Street, Dumfries.

Members

Officials

HMO Licensing and Registration Manager, Planning and Environment Services

Apology

Alex Haswell

Director Chief Executive Service

LICENSING PANEL REVIEW MEETING

Meeting of Friday 13 January 2012at 2pm

in Council Hall, English Street, Dumfries

1.SEDERUNT AND APOLOGIES

11 Members present

2.APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN

Decision

AGREED to appoint David J McKie as Chairman for this meeting

3.PRESENTATION: UPDATE ON THE LICENSING AND REGULATION OF HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION

Decision

NOTEDthe presentation by Robert Rome, HMO Licensing and Registration Manager, Planning and Environment Services.

4.ASSESSMENT/REVIEW OF OPERATION OF LICENSING PANEL AFTER 6 MONTHS - Report by Director Chief Executive Service

NOTED

4.1that there had been 9 meetings of the Panel during April to October 2011, involving 29 hearings, with 7 meetings, held at Dumfries, one in Stranraer and one in Newton Stewart.

4.1that monthly meetings had been scheduled for Dumfries and there had been sufficient business at each meeting.

4.3the meetings at Stranraer and Newton Stewart had been arranged ad hoc once business had been identified.

4.4there had been exceptional circumstances whereby a meeting on 21 December 2011 at Kirkcudbright had initially been and had to be adjourned until later that day.

AGREED

4.5the Members who had been unavailable for any of the meetings be contacted to find out whether their political group might wish to change their nomination by submission in writing to the Proper Officer.

4.6the Chief Constable be contacted regarding issues identified during operation of the Panel.

4.7Stakeholders, including trade associations, licenceholders, applicants, the police and objectors be consulted to seek views on the performance of the Panels and quality of experience.

1