Business, trading and employment
Child entertainment and child employment licence
Businesses which employ children and young people for public performances, filming, paid modelling work and sporting activities must have a child entertainment licence.
Children and young people are protected by this law until the last Friday in June of the academic year in which they turn 16.
A licence must be obtained for a child under compulsory school leaving age taking part in a performance:
- if there is a charge or admission cost
- on premises licensed to sell alcohol such as in a hotel, pub or theatre
- where there is absence from school
- recorded with a view to its use in a broadcast, film or intended for public exhibition. Such as live stage performance recorded for a cinema screening, a feature film, a video or sound recording of a performance on a website.
- employed in paid modelling, photographic or catwalk work
- working in paid or professional sport
- in entertainment performing on stage or in television in activities such as films or commercials
Any child used as a stand in (understudy) should be licensed in the same way as the other children in the performance.
A child does not require a performance licence:
- Performances put on by a school which provides a statutory education. This does not include dance, music or drama schools.
- Child is being filmed for an observational documentary such as the news. Filmed carrying out day to day routine and not directed to act any differently.
- Competitions
Where a child performance licence is not required the organiser of the performance or show is still required to register all children taking part with the Education Welfare Service at North East Lincolnshire Council.
A child entertainment licence application requires 21 days’ notice.
Along with the completed application form, you will be required to provide the following:
- One recent passport-sized photographs.
- A copy of the contract or documents detailing the particulars regulating the child’s performance.
- A medical certificate or statement stating the child is medically fit (as appropriate).
- Letter or authorisation from the school that the child permitted absence to take part in performances and rehearsals (if applicable)
Consideration of your application will be made within 10 days’ if the following documents are received:
- A fully completed application which includes Part 1, Part 2, Declaration, Chaperone Information, birth certificate, parental declaration of fitness, school letter and photo.
- The applicants full contact details must be provided to include address, telephone number and e-mail address.
The local authority will not take responsibility for chasing up any missing information, therefore any incomplete or late applications could be refused.
Your child may want to earn some extra pocket money, but there are laws to protect your child which govern what hours and the type of work children of compulsory school age may undertake.
Children are considered to be employed if they assist in a business which operates for profit and if they are paid or unpaid. This also applies to the employers’ own children.
Children do not need a work permit for work experience that is arranged by school.
Children aged 13 and over can only be employed to do light work duties in the following places of employment:
- Agricultural or horticultural
- Delivery of newspapers, journals or other printed materials
- Shop retail including shelf stacking
- Hairdressing salons
- Office work
- Cafe or restaurants but not a commercial kitchen
- Riding stables, kennels or catteries
Working hours for 13 to 16 year old
Children aged 13 to 14 can work for a maximum of:
- 12 hours per week
- No more than two hours on a weekday
- 5 hours on a Saturday, and during the week in school holidays
- 2 hours on a Sunday
- 25 hours per week during school holidays
- Not before 7am or after 7pm Monday to Sunday inclusive
Children aged 15 to 16 can work for a maximum of:
- 12 hours per week
- 8 hours on a Saturday, and during the week in school holidays
- 2 hours on a Sunday
- 35 hours per week during school holidays
- Not before 7am or after 7pm Monday to Sunday inclusive
Employers must contact the Education Welfare Service within seven days of employing a child of compulsory school age. If satisfied with the type of employment, impact on the child’s health, welfare and education, the Council will issue the child with an employment permit.
Any employer who allows a child of school age to work without first obtaining a work permit is breaking the law and could be prosecuted
Children can’t work:
- If an employment permit hasn’t been issued by the Education Welfare Service
- For more than one hour before school, and one hour after school finishes. Or for a period not exceeding 2 hours between the end of school and 7pm
- During school hours
- Before 7am or after 7pm
- For more than four hours without taking a break for at least one hour
- In any occupation prohibited by local bylaws or other legislation
- Without a two-week break from any work during the school holidays in each calendar year
Children should not be employed in any of the following places of work:
- Cinemas, theatres, dance halls or nightclubs unless they’re involved in a performance which has a child entertainment licence.
- Betting shops
- Licenced premises or shop serving or delivering alcohol
- Garage selling fuels such as petrol or diesel
- Delivering milk or fuel oils
- Commercial kitchens
- To collect or sort refuse
- Work which is more than three meters above ground level
- Exposure to harmful physical, biological or chemical materials
- To collect money, sell or canvass door to door
- Exposure to adult material or places which are unsuitable for children
- Slaughter houses or butcher shops
- Attendant at a fairground, amusement arcade (including automatic machines)
- Personal care of residents in a care or nursing home
- 01472 326291
Opening times: Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, except bank holidays - [email protected]
- Education Welfare Service, New Oxford House, 2 George Street, Grimsby, DN31 1HB
Chaperone licence
It is a legal requirement that children of compulsory school age who are taking part in performances must be supervised at all times, regardless of whether a performance licence is required. A performance includes things such as TV, filming, theatre, sporting activities or modelling.
Only a parent or legal guardian can chaperone their own child without a Chaperone Licence. Childminders, grandparents or any other family members are not legal guardians unless they are recognised as such by the courts and therefore need to be approved in order to chaperone a child. The chaperone must be approved by the licensing authority, unless under the direct supervision of their parent, or person who has parental responsibility for the child.
When applying for a chaperone licence, several checks associated with becoming a chaperone are made by the Education Welfare Service before the licence can be issued therefore we cannot guarantee a clear timescale for issuing chaperone licences. As a rough guide, applications should be made at least 12 weeks before the date it is needed.
The Local Authority must not approve a chaperone unless it is satisfied that he/she is both suitable and competent to discharge their duty i.e. to exercise proper care and control of a child of the age and sex of the child in question and that he/she will not be prevented from carrying out his/her duties towards the child by other activities or duties towards the child.
Any adult over 18 years old can apply to become a licensed chaperone if they meet with the following criteria for approval:
- Completion of a chaperone application form
- Two references –one of whom should have known the applicant in a professional capacity and not solely through the organisation for which they wish to become a chaperone. Please note referees should have known you for at least 2 years (not family/partner/partners family)
- Submission of one passport sized photograph
- Submission of a relevant DBS certificate: a Child Workforce Enhanced DBS certificate issued within three months of the date the chaperone application was received, is registered with the DBS online service.
If your DBS does not satisfy the above criteria then you will be required to apply for a volunteer chaperone DBS.
Should you wish to apply for a Volunteer Chaperone DBS please tick the relevant box on the application form and a request will be forwarded to our HR department who will post a DBS application form to you. A DBS certificate can take up to 6 weeks to be issued.
Professionals working with children as part of their day to day job, regardless if in a voluntary capacity (dance teachers, drama teachers, theatre or production companies’ staff and others) and professional chaperones that don’t already have a current child workforce Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) registered with the DBS update service will have to provide their own DBS certificate.
The Chaperone Licence is free of charge for volunteers and lasts for 3 years.
Complete your Chaperone licence application.
- 01472 326291
Opening times: Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm, except bank holidays - [email protected]
- Education Welfare Service, New Oxford House, 2 George Street, Grimsby, DN31 1HB
Sex shops and cinema venues licence
To operate a sex shop such as selling sex toys, books or videos, you’ll need a licence from the local authority. You will also need a licence from the local authority to run a venue where explicit films are shown to members of the public.
Applications must contain all the requested information, including the applicant’s name, address and where the applicant is an individual, their age, plus the address of the premises.
An applicant:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must not be disqualified from holding a licence
- Must have been resident in the UK at least six months immediately before the application or, if a body corporate, must be incorporated in the UK
- Must not have been refused the grant or renewal of a licence for the premises in question within the last 12 months unless the refusal has been reversed on appeal
Applicants must give public notice of their application by publishing an advertisement in a local newspaper.
If you do not hear from the council after 28 days you submitted your application, you can assume your licence application has been granted.
| Fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Application for a New Premises Licence | £1913 |
| Annual Renewal Fee | £1310 |
| Transfer Application | £1310 |
You may need planning permission which will incur extra costs.
Any applicant who is refused a licence or refused the renewal of a licence, can appeal to the local Magistrates’ Court.
The right to appeal does not apply where the licence was refused on the grounds that:
- The number of sex establishments in the area exceeds the number which the authority consider is appropriate.
- The grant of the licence would be inappropriate considering the character of the area, the nature of other premises in the area, or the premises themselves.
A licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition can also appeal to a local Magistrates’ Court.
- 01472 326299
Telephone opening times: Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm, except bank holidays - [email protected]
- Licensing , Doughty road depot, Doughty road, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HU
Street trading and markets
This is for anyone looking to trade on a short-term basis in the street. For anyone looking to become a market trader in council-owned markets (Grimsby Top Town Market, Cleethorpes Seasonal Market or the Grimsby Farmers & Craft Market) go to Markets.
Applicants will be required to apply in writing, giving at least two months notice of any proposed start date to allow for consultation and possible committee meetings.
It is an offence for anyone to trade in the street (selling or offering for sale of any items or living thing in) in a designated area without a licence.
North East Lincolnshire has a number of consent streets these are:
- Bull Ring Lane, Brewery Street
- East St Mary’s Gate
- Haven Walk
- Old Market Place
- Riverhead
- Riverhead bus stand
- Silver Street
- St James Square
- Station Approach
- Victoria Street West
- West St Mary’s Gate
- Service Roads off West St Mary’s Gate (North and South)
Anyone wishing to trade in these areas is required to apply to the licensing team for street trading.
The following activities do not require street trading consent:
- Street musicians, (unless selling goods – CD’s etc)
- Periodical sales, (e.g. the Grimsby Telegraph stall)
- Pedlars
- Rounds men
- Street collections
- Statutory markets granted by charter
We will normally only allow one trader to hold a consent in a specific location.
Any street trader operating for more than 14 days a year may require planning permission.
Applicants will be asked to provide proof of their stalls. Details of the vehicle or structures are required together with external dimensions. Items and the type of goods to be sold if food whether hot or cold, and proposed location in respect of proximity to any permanent shops selling similar goods.
Stalls with reasonable level of good taste, appropriateness and look is preferred, and to avoid unnecessary A-boards, banners and similar advertising clutter.
Trading times for consents will normally start at 9am, traders are required to have cleaned up and left the site by 10pm.
| Fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | £126 |
| Market Stalls – Per Stall, Per Day | £40 |
| Individual Stall – Per Stall, Per Day | £63 |
Once an application has been accepted the licensing section will circulate the application to all relevant consultees for a consultation period of 14 days.
Unopposed applications for known market organisers are delegated to the executive director of community services. Any unknown market organiser’s applications will be determined by community protection committee.
Regardless of any comments being received all individual applications will be determined by the community protection committee. All consents will be subject to any conditions that the council thinks appropriate, including relevant conditions requested by consultees.
The council further reserves the right to revoke any consent at any time. There is no legal requirement to provide reasons for refusing an application and there in no right of appeal.
A licence would be needed if the entertainment provided was classed as a concert or performance. If the busking has been advertised or there is a specific invitation for people to gather in one place and watch, it is likely that a premises licence or temporary event notice will be needed.
Busking in the streets or open spaces of North East Lincolnshire will not require the issue of a permit or licence from the licensing team. It is usually incidental to other activities such as shopping when in the town centre and so can be classed as background music rather than regulated entertainment.
If you believe that anyone is illegally trading in the streets you should contact the licensing team.
- 01472 326299
Telephone opening times: Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm, except bank holidays - [email protected]
- Licensing , Doughty road depot, Doughty road, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HU
Skin piercing
You need to register for the following skin piercing activities:
- Acupuncture
- Tattooing
- Semi-permanent skin colouring
- Cosmetic piercing
- Electrolysis.
To carry out any of the above skin piercing activities, both the business premises and the person carrying out the piercing must be registered with the Council.
You do not need to register if you are carrying out skin piercing under the supervision of a registered medical practitioner.
You will be contacted to arrange an inspection to determine if the premises are compliant with the byelaw requirements. If the premises and arrangements are compliant a certificate of registration will be issued.
Fees
- Business premises registration £270
- Individual registration £87
Businesses are obliged to ensure the health and safety of both themselves and of their clients. Following the safe practice advice and guidance will help ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.
- Basic requirements for safe, clean premises
- Legal issues
- Waste disposal
- Infection control
- After-care advice
Documents
- Byelaws acupuncture, tattooing, semi-permanent skin-colouring, cosmetic piercing and electrolysis (PDF, 105KB)
- Body piercing guidance (PDF, 1MB)
- Micropigmentation guidance (PDF, 957KB)
- After care advice: body art, skin piercing and tattoo (PDF, 71KB)
Links
- Health and safety laboratory
- Public Health England – advice on infectious disease and control
- Tattooing and body piercing guidance toolkit
- 01472 323609
Opening times: By appointment only - [email protected]
- Innovation Centre, Innovation Way, Healing, North East Lincolnshire, DN37 9TT
Hypnotism licence
If you wish to show, demonstrate or perform a hypnotism act in public, you must have permission from the council.
You won’t need a permit if the hypnotism is for the purpose of scientific demonstration or research, or if you are only hypnotising yourself.
- 01472 326299
Telephone opening times: Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm, except bank holidays - [email protected]
- Licensing , Doughty road depot, Doughty road, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HU
Fireworks and explosives storage
You must have a licence to store fireworks and explosives up to 2000kg at a premises. If you need to store more than 20000kg of fireworks and explosives, you must apply to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)- external site for a licence. It is an offence to store or sell fireworks or explosives without a valid licence.
If you store less than 5kg of explosives, then there is no need to be licensed.
It is your responsibility to store fireworks and explosives safety. For more information visit HSE – Storing and selling fireworks safely- external site
Your application must include a plan to a scale suitable to show the location of the site including its surroundings (named or numbered roads, hamlets, villages or geographical features). Where the site does not have a postal address this should normally be a minimum scale of 1:25000.
If you’re displaying more than 12.5kg of fireworks, you must submit a floor plan of the area. This includes both the amount held on a shop floor sales area as well as in stock rooms or storage areas.
For more information visit the Business Companion – Storage and supply of fireworks- external site website.
You can store fireworks and explosives all year round. A storage licence can last up to 5 years, but you must pay a £500 annual fee if you choose to sell fireworks and explosives out of the normal selling periods.
Normal selling periods
- 15 October to 10 November
- 26 December to 31 December
- Chinese New Year and the three days immediately after
- Diwali and the three days immediately after
New application costs
| Length of licence | Less than 250kg | More than 250kg |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | £119 | £202 |
Renewal application costs
| Length of licence | Less than 250kg | More than 250kg |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | £59 | £94 |
| 2 years | £94 | £161 |
| 3 years | £132 | £226 |
| 4 years | £166 | £291 |
| 5 years | £202 | £357 |
To apply complete the Fireworks and explosives licence form.
North East Lincolnshire Council does not provide consumer advice.
- [email protected]
- INNOVATION CENTRE, INNOVATION WAY, HEALING, DN37 9TT
Petroleum storage
You must have a Petroleum Storage Certificate if you store and supply petrol and/or diesel for vehicles with an internal combustion engine. This includes filling stations and storing for domestic use.
You must provide details of all fuel storage tanks including maximum storage capacity, amount of fuel currently stored and fuel type. For split compartment tanks, the tank number should be the same for all compartments.
Licences can be purchased for up to 10 years. Paying for more than one year now will reduce the administrative burden on your business and enable you to purchase multiple years at the current fee rate.
Annual fees are calculated on the maximum working capacity of petroleum stored in the tanks indicated by you.
There will be an annual fee attached to you application depending on your maximum storage capacity.
| Storage amount | Cost |
|---|---|
| Less than 2500 litres | £48 |
| Between 2500 litres and 50000 litres | £65 |
| Over 50000 litres | £137 |
Transfer of a licence is £8.
Apply
To apply for your licence complete our Petroleum storage registration form.
North East Lincolnshire Council does not provide consumer advice.
- [email protected]
- INNOVATION CENTRE, INNOVATION WAY, HEALING, DN37 9TT
Scrap metal
A licence is needed for all places where an operator carries out a business as a scrap metal dealer. A manager must be appointed for each of these sites. A site licence will also permit an operator to transport scrap metal to and from the specified sites from any other local authority area.
A collectors licence allows a person to operate as a mobile collector within a local authority area. The licence does not allow the collector to move between different local authority areas and a separate licence will be needed from each authority.
| Fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Site Licence with one site | £650 |
| Each additional site added to a site licence on application | £400 |
| Collectors Licence | £460 |
| Change of Licence Details | £50 |
| Changes to Site Details on Site Licence | £50 plus £50 for each additional site |
| Changes to Site Manager on Site Licence | £187 |
| Change from Site Licence to Collectors Licence | £187 |
| Change from Collectors Licence to Site Licence | £337 plus £187 for each additional site |
| Copy of Licence | £50 |
Site licences issued by the council will need to be displayed in a prominent place so that they can be seen by the public.
Collectors licences must be displayed in the vehicle and visible from outside the vehicle.
- 01472 326299
Telephone opening times: Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm, except bank holidays - [email protected]
- Licensing , Doughty road depot, Doughty road, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HU