The General Purposes and Licensing Committee of Bromley Council met on Thursday 26 September 2024, approving the annual complaints report and new guidance for room bookings at the new Civic Centre. The committee also noted its work programme and outstanding matters, and received minutes from previous Licensing Sub-Committee meetings.

Annual Complaints Report and LGSCO Letter 2023/24

The committee approved the council's Annual Complaints Report for 2023/24, which details statistics on complaints received and provides an overview of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman's (LGSCO) annual review letter. While some councillors questioned the report's scope and potential burden on officers, the Head of Service, Customer Engagement and Complaints, explained that only Adult and Children's Social Care services had statutory reporting requirements, and the wider report took minimal time to produce. It was highlighted that the report provides valuable data for various council services, the public, and external bodies, helping to reduce Freedom of Information requests.

Concerns were raised about the interpretation of complaint categories, with clarification that 'lack of action' meant no action was taken, and 'service delay' referred to delayed action. It was confirmed that no complaints regarding the conduct of third-party providers' staff had been received. Positive feedback was given on the Planning and Regeneration Service's performance, showing a 12% improvement in timely responses and a reduction in upheld complaints. A significant reduction in complaints within Environment and Public Protection was attributed to a change in reporting, separating complaints from one-off service requests.

Councillor Tony Owen proposed limiting the report to the statutory minimum for future years, but this motion was not carried. The committee ultimately resolved to approve the report, with the Chairman and other members expressing that it was of interest to residents and useful for accountability and identifying service trends. The council's complaint rates referred to and upheld by the LGSCO were noted as comparing favourably with other boroughs and being lower than the London average.

Room Booking Arrangements at the New Civic Centre

New guidance for the use of committee rooms in the new Civic Centre at Churchill Court was approved, aiming to maintain priority for elections and Member-level meetings. The committee also agreed to limit refreshments at meetings to tea, coffee, and water, with biscuits no longer being provided. A member suggested exploring commercial bookings for the Council Chamber and Committee Rooms to generate revenue, a point the Director of Corporate Services and Governance confirmed was part of ongoing work to maximise the new Civic Centre's potential.

Members sought reassurance that committee meetings would not be cancelled due to electoral purposes in the future, following disruptions during the July 2024 General Election. Information was provided on IT arrangements in the new Members' Room, expected to be operational by 14 October 2024, and improvements to printing arrangements were requested. Clarification was sought regarding the transfer of lockers from the Members' Cloakroom to the new site. Member Induction sessions for the new Civic Centre were planned for October 2024.

Work Programme and Matters Outstanding

The committee considered its work programme and outstanding matters. A Review of Cumulative Impact Zones is scheduled for the next meeting on 6 November 2024, with a request to include a licensing review session covering local police, and a discussion on Planning versus Licensing, including Temporary Events Notices. The approach to livestreaming meetings was discussed, with an ad hoc provision for meetings of significant public interest, and plans to livestream the first Council meeting in the new Civic Centre on 14 October 2024. A report on the long-term approach to livestreaming will be presented based on this experience.

Further queries were raised regarding staff appraisals linked to merit awards, a policy review on legal advice to Licensing Sub-Committees, and the potential addition of a Planning Policy review to the work programme. An update on hybrid working is to be added to the work programme, provisionally scheduled for 1 April 2025. The Chairman agreed to send a reminder to Committee Members about their responsibilities regarding participation in Licensing Sub-Committees, following difficulties experienced by members due to a recent short-notice rescheduling of a Licensing Committee. A suggestion for mandatory participation in a certain number of Licensing Sub-Committees annually was not supported.

Licensing Sub-Committee: Minutes of Meetings

The minutes of the Licensing Sub-Committee meetings held on 22 April, 13 May, 18 July, and 30 August 2024 were received and noted by the committee.