9 January 2026

 

NEW FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL

 

General Purposes and Licensing Committee

 

Minutes of a meeting of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee held on Friday, 9 January 2026

 

* Cllr Neil Tungate (Chairman)

* Cllr Richard Young (Vice-Chairman)

 

    Councillors:

    Councillors:

 

*  Steve Clarke

    Jack Davies

*  Philip Dowd

*  Allan Glass

*  David Harrison

*  David Hawkins

 

*   Nigel Linford

    Colm McCarthy

    Dave Penny

*   Alvin Reid

*   Janet Richards

 

*Present

 

Officers Attending:

 

Peter Donelan, Christa Ferguson, Joanne McClay and Andy Rogers.

 

<AI1>

Apologies

 

Cllr Jack Davies sent his apologies for the meeting.

 

</AI1>

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10            

Minutes

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2025 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

 

</AI2>

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11            

Declarations Of Interest

No Declarations of Interest were made by any Members in connection with any Agenda Item.

 

</AI3>

<AI4>

12            

Public Participation

There was no public participation.

 

</AI4>

<AI5>

13            

Licensing Fees and Charges 2026/27

The Committee considered proposed fees and charges for the Council’s licensing functions for 2026/27.

 

It was noted that the fees and charges had been reviewed in 2024 to ensure the recovery of the costs of delivering services (but not to generate profit). 

 

The proposed fees and charges for 2026/27 were in line with the inflation index figure of September 2025, which was 3.8%. Fees under the Licensing Act 2003 were set by Central Government.

 

Members asked a number of detailed questions to which answers were given.

 

Officers undertook to provide members outside of the meeting with information on the number of dog day care licenses.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.         That it be a recommendation to Council that it approves the proposed fees and charges for the financial year 2026–27 as set out in Appendices 1 and 2, with the exception of the taxi licensing fees and charges.

 

2.       That, in respect of the taxi licensing fees and charges within Appendix 1:-

 

a)     General Purposes and Licensing Committee approves the fees and charges as proposed for consultation;

 

b)     Council delegates authority to General Purposes and Licensing Committee to make the final decision as to the level of fees and charges for 2026/27 should objections be raised during the public consultation period for taxi licensing fees and charges.

</AI5>

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CHAIRMAN

 

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