Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the local Code of Conduct, a councillor is required to disclose at the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) that they may have in respect of any matter for consideration on this agenda. Any councillor with a DPI must not participate in any discussion or vote regarding that matter and that they must also withdraw from the meeting immediately before consideration of the matter.

If that DPI has not been registered, you must notify the Monitoring Officer of the details of the DPI within 28 days of the date of the meeting.

Councillors are further invited to disclose any non-pecuniary interest which may be relevant to any matter on this agenda, in the interests of transparency, and to confirm that it will not affect their objectivity in relation to that matter.

There were no disclosures of interest declared.

The Chairperson clarified to all attendees that the application was for a street trading consent and as such was governed by Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) act 1982 (“the Schedule”) and not the Licensing Act 2003 as detailed in the notice of hearing.

In arriving at its decision, the Sub-Committee took into account the relevant representations submitted verbally and in writing. The Sub-Committee was also made aware that the following criteria applied in order to determine suitable trading sites and applications; public safety, public order, avoidance of nuisance, character of the area, compliance with legal requirements and consultees observations.

The Sub-Committee received a report from the Senior Specialist for Licensing, Mike Smith.  An application had been submitted for the grant of a Street Trading Consent for a mobile coffee van at the popular beauty spot of St Martha’s Hill on Halfpenny Lane, Chilworth.  The application requested to trade between the hours of 08:00 to 17:00 on Monday to Sundays throughout the year.  The land is owned and managed by Surrey County Council’s Countryside Service who had granted permission for the unit to trade from this location.  The Sub-Committee noted that there were a number of similar vans which operated at other popular countryside destinations.    

A public consultation was held from 19 January and 16 February 2024.  Representations were received from the Responsible Authority, the Environmental Health Protection Service, Ward Councillor Bob Hughes and  Councillor James Walsh, St Martha’s Parish Council and 11 representations from other persons, 10 of which were in objection and 1 was in support. 

The Chairperson, Councillor Oven invited the applicant, Rosi Millar to make her representation in support of her application.   The Sub-Committee noted that she was the owner and operator of the business ‘The Little Bean’ which was set up in 2023.  To date, she had worked with the National Trust at Petworth Park with the mobile coffee van, which had proven to be successful.  She had recently sought additional business opportunities through the Surrey County Council Countryside Service.  The Albury Estate identified St Marthas as a suitable location for ‘The Little Bean’ to operate from. 

With regard to concerns raised in relation to waste management, the applicant would set up recycling points for the disposal of cups.  She wished for her business to make a positive contribution to the local community.  The site was located adjacent to a SANG and was also an accessible point for both cars and walkers from Newlands Corner which was 3km away and a stunning beauty point.  The Little Bean would also seek to use local suppliers of milk and handmade cakes so to support other small businesses nearby. 

The Sub-Committee noted that the Surrey County Council Countryside Service had made it clear that the site was to be used on a trial basis initially.  It was not the applicant’s intention to be onsite every day from 8am – 5pm.  Whilst these were the days and hours applied for, it allowed for flexibility, in order  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.