Issue - meetings

Consider report by Service Director Regulatory Services.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Regulatory Services on the introduction of fees for caravan sites following changes to legislation with respect to a licensing system for mobile home sites with permanent residents.   The report explained that on 1 May 2017 a new licensing scheme came into force for caravan sites that had permanent residents.  “Resident” referred to people who lived on a permanent basis in a mobile home where the mobile home was usually owned by the resident and it was situated on a site that was licensed for year round occupation.  A “mobile home” or caravan was any structure designed or adapted for human habitation which was capable of being moved from one place to another either by towing or by its own power.  Those who already had a licence under the existing legislation had until 1 May 2019 to apply for a new site licence.  At present there were two licenced residential caravan sites in the Scottish Borders area.  It was considered that an application fee for a first site licence and for a licence renewal should be £600 in accordance with the estimate provided by the Scottish Government.   It was noted that the Civic Government Licensing Committee had supported the proposal.

DECISION

AGREED that in respect of caravan sites with permanent residents the fee to be charged for processing the first site licence applications and for a licence renewal be set at £600 with immediate effect.