A list of licences administered by the Public Protection Division is shown below. Many licences have a maximum life of one year. Temporary Events notices are issued for events involving licensable activities that take place on a limited number of dates.
Application forms are available from the Licensing Officer at the Public Protection Office, 11 Houndgate, Darlington.
Completed application forms together with the relevant documentation and fee must be submitted before the application can be processed and a decision made. Failure to submit all information requested will result in the return of all documentation and no decision being made.
Authorised Officers of the Council and Police Constables have right of entry to licensed premises.
Licenses administered by the Public Protection Division
(click each item to access more information)
Animal Boarding Establishments
Caravan Sites
Dangerous Wild Animals
Dog Breeding
Explosives Storage
Gambling and Premises Licences
House to House Collections
Licensing Act premises and Personal Licences
Pavement Café
Performing Animals
Petroleum Storage
Pet Shops
Poisons
Public Performance of Hypnotism
Registration of Food Premises
Riding Establishments
Scaffolding and Hoardings
Scrap Metal Dealers
Sex Shops
Skin Piercing
Skip Licensing
Small Society Lotteries
Sports Entertainment
Sports Ground Safety Certificate
Street Collections
Street Trading
Taxi Licensing
Licence is renewable annually in January. Site visits and recommendation to issue or refuse from Environmental Health Officers.
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Caravan sitesLicence with no expiry date to named person(s) for named premises. Site visits and recommendation to issue or refuse from Environmental Health Officers. License issue delegated to Assistant Director Public Protection.
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Annual Licence for each animal that is described in legislation as dangerous e.g. tiger, lion, ostrich, chimpanzee
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Renewable annually in January. Required where more than breeding bitches used to produce puppies. Site visits and recommendation to issue or refuse from Environmental Health Officers. License issue delegated to Assistant Director Public Protection.
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Annual registration. Required by shops selling fireworks. Administration and site visits by Trading Standards Officers. License issue delegated to Assistant Director Public Protection.
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Gambling Act 2005 Premises Licences & Permits
Premises licences are issued for amusement arcades, betting shops, bingo halls and track betting. These are subject to an annual fee. Applications must be advertised and are subject to consultation with a range of responsible authorities including the Police, Gambling Commission and Local Safeguarding Children’s Board. If objections are received from either a responsible authority or an interested party (residents or businesses close to the premises) the application is referred to the Council’s licensing Sub Committee for a decision.
Applications for society lotteries and gaming machines in pubs and clubs are also covered by this legislation
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Applications are required for a Permit to make a charitable collection from people’s homes. This is usually undertaken by way of bags delivered to homes and collected on a specified date. . Details of income and expenditure must be submitted quarterly.
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Premises licences are issued for the provision of regulated entertainment, sale or supply of alcohol (for consumption on or off the premises) and/or the provision of late night refreshment. These are subject to an annual fee. Applications must be advertised and are subject to consultation with a range of responsible authorities including the Police, Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Local Safeguarding Children’s Board. If objections are received from either a responsible authority or an interested party (residents or businesses close to the premises) the application is referred to the Council’s Licensing Sub Committee for a decision.
Personal licences are issued to enable a person to authorise the sale or supply of alcohol on or off the premises. These last for 10 years and are subject to consultation with the Police. If objections are received from the Police the application is referred to the Council’s Licensing sub Committee for a decision.
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Annual licence renewable on1 April is required for tables and chairs placed on a highway. Police, Highways Manager & EHO's consulted
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Annual Registration of person who uses animals to perform in public.
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Annual licence is required for storage of petroleum. This includes petrol service stations, can stores and workplaces. Site visits and recommendations to issue or refuse are made by specially authorised Environmental Health Officers.
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Licence is renewable annually in January. It is required where a business of selling pet animals (including fish) is carried on. Site visits are carried out by Environmental Health Officers who make recommendation to issue or refuse.
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Annual licence is required for sale of poisons. Administration and site visits is undertaken by Trading Standards Officers.
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Public Performance of HypnotismWritten approval from the council is required before any public performance takes place. No charge for the approval.
For PEL premises - decision by Committee required. For other premises - delegated to Assistant Director Public Protection.
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Issued by Environmental Health Officers on receipt of completed application - no fee and no expiry date/renewal.
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Annual licence which is renewed in January is required where business of keeping horses for hire for riding or instruction in riding carried on. Environmental Health Officer and veterinary surgeon appointed by Council prepare report following site visits. Applicant is required to pay Council the cost of the vet’s fee separately to the application fee.
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The Highways Act 1980 allows Darlington Borough Council to permit people or companies to place scaffolding or hoardings on a public highway. This procedure sets out the Councils approach to issuing such permissions.
Any scaffolding or hoarding which encroaches or projects over the highway requires a licence and permission can be obtained from the Council.
Scaffolding application [word document]
Hoardings application [word document]
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Three yearly registration is issued. Information on the application form is used to produce a public register.
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An annual licence is required by shops selling R18 videos or goods used to encourage sexual activity. Consultation is undertaken with the Police, Building Control and Environmental Health. The Applicant is required to place a public notice in a local newspaper advertising the nature of the application and allowing 28 days for objections. If objections are received the application is referred to the Council’s Licensing Committee.
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The legislation relates to tattooing, ear piercing and electrolysis.
There is no expiry date on this licence which is issued to named person(s) for named premises. Site visits and recommendation to issue or refuse are undertaken by Environmental Health Officers. The Council has adopted byelaws to control these registered activities.
N.B. Body piercing is covered by a voluntary registration scheme
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The Highways Act 1980 allows the Council to permit people or companies to place skips on the highway. A company wishing to place a skip on the highway must first be registered with the Council and produce public liability insurance and a waster carriers licence. Registered companies may apply for a skip licence to place on skip on the highway.
An application form is required to to apply for a skip licence [Word doc], and to register a skip company [Word doc].
Additional information about skips on a highway and the Highways Act 1980 [pdf document]
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Annual licence – renewal in January. Licensing Officer must receive details of previous years income before issue of renewal.
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The Assistant Director of Public Protection chairs a Safety Advisers’ Group ( includes Building Control Officer plus representatives from Police, Ambulance, Fire, Football League & Football Club) which determines the issues of this Certificate
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Applications must be made for a Permit to make a collection on the highway. Detail of income raised must be submitted after any collection. The Council publishes and displays an annual diary of street collections in the central Library
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Annual Consents are issued to suitable applicants following receipt of completed application form and fees and a full consultation with the Police, highways Officers and other relevant bodies. An identification badge is issued to trader and up to two assistants at each vehicle or location.
Please find via the following link a list of all Consent Streets and Prohibited Streets (pdf document) in the Borough of Darlington.
Should you have any queries regarding Street Trading within Darlington please contact the Licensing Team on (01325) 388577 or e-mail licensing@darlington.gov.uk
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Renewable Annual Licences are issued in respect of the ownership, operation, and driving of hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.
Authorised Officers have delegated authority to grant or renew driver licences except where there is concern about the applicant’s suitability. In those cases the Council’s Licensing Committee makes the decision (requiring a written report from the officer and driver/operator to attend to explain circumstances of the offences etc). The Committee makes the final decision on whether driver/operator is a fit and proper person to be issued with a licence.
The Council has Byelaws and Licence Conditions that prescribe standards relating to persons and vehicles. Individual identification i.e. front and rear plate for each vehicle is provided for the vehicle and discs for both front doors of Hackney Carriage.
Enhanced criminal record checks are required for persons making applications (initial application and then every 3 years). Each driver also has to provide evidence of medical fitness to drive. An individual identification badge is provided for each driver and this must be worn at all times when working.
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