Agenda

Including any notices of motion and any other items of business submitted as urgent for consideration at the meeting.

Members should declare any financial and non-financial interests they have in the items of business for consideration, identifying the relevant agenda item and the nature of their interest.

If any.

Minute of the Regulatory Committee of 2 October 2023 – submitted for approval as a correct record

Regulatory Committee Work Programme

Regulatory Committee Rolling Actions Log

Regulatory Committee Business Bulletin

By Councillor McKenzie - Landlord Registration

“Committee Notes:                                                                                                                                                              

A temporary cap on rent increases during private tenancies is due to be lifted on 31 March 2024.

Anxiety among some tenants that this will be followed by unreasonable rent increases.

Many tenants do not possess contact details for their landlords and that this information is not always available on the Scottish Landlord Register.

Recent requests for information from landlordregistration@edinburgh.gov.uk have elicited automated replies stating predicted response times of between 2 weeks and 1 month.

The absence of information on engaging with the Council offline in relation to landlord registration.

Committee Agrees:

1)       The Council should strive to provide appropriate information to tenants timeously and accessibly.

2)       A report to the next Regulatory Committee on landlord registration will provide:

2.1)    An update on current response times for information requests, with proposals to reduce these if required.

2.2)    A breakdown of the information that tenants can reasonably expect when making enquiries on landlord registration.

2.3).   Proposals to improve accessibility for tenants seeking information relating to landlord registration.”

By Councillor Ross - Market operator licence fees for the Meadows

“Committee notes:

1.         The Council’s objective for full cost recovery across Licensing operations.

2.         The decision of the Committee, following a review of all licence fees in 2015, to NOT include any part of the Meadows in its higher pricing regime for City Centre Ward 11.

3.         The Committee agreed to have higher fees for Ward 11 markets and lower fees for everywhere else for two reasons a) to cover the higher costs relative to a market in the city centre and b) to incentivise dispersal of markets away from Ward 11 as, at that time, there was an over concentration within Ward 11.

4.         Boundaries Scotland changed the boundary of City Centre Ward 11 to include the Meadows west of Middle Meadow Walk with effect from May 2017.

5.         The unintended negative consequences of the change at 4) above on community-led events.

Committee agrees:

6.         Where a market licence is sought by a community group for operation within the Meadows area only, that the appropriate market operators fee will be that for a market out with the City Centre (Ward 11).”

By Councillor Ross – Sexual Entertainment Venues Licensing Scheme

“1)        Committee notes that the consultation on the Sexual Entertainment Venues Licensing Scheme has closed and a follow up report was due to be considered at this meeting.

2)         The Committee further notes that there has been a large volume of consultation responses and that consideration of those responses has necessitated further legal advice being sought.

3)         Additional time is therefore required to ensure that the terms of that advice are fully considered and therefore this has meant presentation of the report has been delayed to the next meeting.

4)         Committee therefore agrees that the relevant date in the Sexual Entertainment Venue licence resolution be amended to 31 March 2024, therefore removing any uncertainty for the venues and performers whilst this further work takes place”