FOI Request - Licencing of Businesses

Request 101002592174

1) How many businesses applied for and were issued with a ‘licence’ to operate in Moray that needed to be obtained from Moray Council - in the last 12 month period that you have complete records for.  These are businesses that would not be allowed to operate without purchasing a license from Moray Council – also including such types as ‘late-night-licences’ to extend opening hours on a regular basis.  
2)  What is the average revenue in a year to the council for all these licenses?
3)   What is done with the license monies? Is it used to support or regulate by inspection or examination or by testing, different industries or trades to make sure they are up to legal standards.
4)  Is there any data-base that the public can check up on to see if a ‘licenced’ business is still licenced and what quality they should be offering as well as full details of members of the company or organisation?
5)   If not any of (3) then what is licence money used for and what is the purpose of having to license various types of trades?

Response 06-10-2020

1)

Licensing:

895 alcohol related licences in the last financial year.
15 gambling related licences
498 all other licence types

Environmental Health:

5 residential caravan site licences applied for ,I granted (4 granted in 2020).

I holiday site applied for /granted.

2)  Licencing: £119847 for alcohol licences £ £117225 for civic averaged over the last 3 years.

Environmental Health: No charge for holiday site. Residential sites 50 pitches or less £822 initial renewal after 5 years £596
                                                                                 More than 50 pitches £1146 initial renewal £659.

3)  Licencing: Licence fees are to cover the overall cost to the Council of providing the various licensing functions and processing applications. That includes the cost across all Council services. For example consultations with Environmental Health, Building Standards and Planning. Where necessary this includes inspections and various checks prior to any licence being granted. It also includes the cost to the Council of two Licensing Standards Officers (one liquor and gambling and one for the remaining licence types) which are required by statute and whose functions includes advice, guidance mediation and compliance. It is unlawful to incorporate an element of regulation of unlicensed activities into licence fees.  

Environmental Health: Fees cover costs of visits etc.

4) Licencing: There is a public register of licences available on the Council's website here. It does not include personal details or detailed information about the services offered by businesses.

Environmental Health: There is a public register published on the Council's website here, this only covers premises licensed.

5) Money is used as above. The purpose of licensing is public safety. To ensure licence holders and any relevant premises are suitable for the type of licence and proposed activities. Most licences are required by law and some the council chooses to licence, all fees are due by law and the Council provides all licensing services by law.