Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Development and Safety

RESOLVED THAT

1.     the charging of licence fees as laid out in appendix 2, which will be reviewed annually, be approved.

2.     the charging for enforcement action to recover associated costs, which will be calculated on a case by case basis, be approved.

3.     the charge for depositing of site rules under the Mobile Homes (Site Rules) (England) Regulations 2014 Section 16 as contained in appendix 2 be approved.

The Cabinet Member Development and Safety introduced the report and explained that the Mobile Homes Act 2013 introduced new powers allowing local authorities to charge fees for their licensing functions in respect of mobile home parks and to charge for enforcement under the Act.

The Cabinet Member reported that previously local authorities did not charge and funded activities through rate funding arrangements. Charging for licensing and enforcement action therefore would allow the council to recover costs with carrying out functions under the Act and for the deposit of site rules by the site owner. The Cabinet Member referred to Appendix 2 of the report which outlined the fees payable as from 1 January 2015 which were based on the amount of time it was expected to take for inspection. In terms of enforcement charges there was no specific fee but it was proposed that costs would be recovered on a case by case basis according to the actual costs incurred by the Council in taking enforcement action. The Cabinet Member explained that the income to be generated was modest but it was important that the public were assured that the Council properly licensed and maintained mobile home sites in a formalised process.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    the charging of licence fees as laid out in appendix 2, which will be reviewed annually, be approved.

2.    the charging for enforcement action to recover associated costs, which will be calculated on a case by case basis, be approved.

3.    the charge for depositing of site rules under the Mobile Homes (Site Rules) (England) Regulations 2014 Section 16 as contained in appendix 2 be approved.