Agenda item

To approve the draft revised Mobile Homes and Caravan Sites Licensing Policy 2021-24 for public consultation for a period of 12 weeks commencing on 1 March 2021.

26.1          The report of the Interim Environmental Health Manager, circulated at Pages No. 15-57, asked the Committee to approve the draft revised Mobile Homes and Caravan Sites Licensing Policy 2021-2024 for public consultation.

26.2          The Interim Environmental Health Manager explained that the policy had been considered by the Licensing Committee in 2018 but at that point there was a discussion nationally about whether the Regulations would change, so consultation on the Policy at that time had been deferred. There had since been no changes to the Regulations so it was felt the policy, which had been refreshed, should go out to consultation. The Council currently registered around 61 premises with residential use; the majority of which were single caravan sites but it also had some fairly large sites - the regulations aimed to improve residents rights; give local authorities more enforcement powers to tackle rogue site owners; and to protect residents from fees by site owners when they wanted to sell their home.

26.3          A Member expressed concern about the ability to be open, transparent and accountable if the consultation period was only 12 weeks given the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic may make it more difficult for people to engage. He also questioned whether the Mobile Homes and Caravan Sites Licensing Policy would impact on the National Planning Policy Framework, the ongoing Tewkesbury Borough Plan or the review of the Joint Core Strategy and the Interim Environmental Health Manager advised that she did not think it would but she would confirm.

26.4          There was concern raised about the current lack of resources in the team - and the work not currently being undertaken - combined with the further resources which were obviously needed. The Interim Environmental Health Manager confirmed that there was not much spare capacity within the Environmental Health team and none in the Licensing team. She undertook to bring a report to the next meeting of the Licensing Committee on resource implications

26.5          Referring to the fire notices for sites, a Member questioned whether it was necessary to include information on them about where the nearest telephone was situated given that most people had mobile phones and there were not many public telephone boxes left. In response, the Interim Environmental Health Manager advised that all conditions attached to the caravan site licences were set down in the standards produced in 2008 and there was nothing more up to date at the moment. In each instance the conditions set were specific to the site and when the site licence was issued it applied from the date it was approved until the site changed hands. This meant the current conditions were probably out of date but when new conditions were set for a site the individual circumstances would be taken into account so the fire notices could be considered then. In terms of traveller sites, the Interim Environmental Health Manager advised that if the site was a County Council approved site then it was not covered by the policy but if it was a private site it would. This also included private travelling showpeople sites.

26.6          It was proposed and seconded that the consultation period be extended by not commencing until 1 April 2021 rather than 1 March 2021, upon being put to the vote, it was

                 RESOLVED           That the draft revised Mobile Homes and Caravan Sites                                            Licensing Policy 2021-24, as attached to the report at Appendix                                     1, be APPROVED for public consultation for a period of 12                                          weeks commencing on 1 April 2021.