Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider a draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy and the outcome of the consultation exercise.

Please refer to the agenda documents for the Licensing Committee meeting on 30 September 2013.

The Licensing Committee meeting held on 30 September 2013 had been adjourned to enable Committee Members to give further consideration to the draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy.

Councillor L Brown attended the meeting and, with the agreement of the Chairman, addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered the consultation responses received from Councillor L Brown, Licensing Officer comments with respect to Councillor Brown’s statements, and further written comments from Councillor Brown.

RESOLVED

1.            That, in addition to the amendments agreed at the Licensing Committee meeting on 30 September 2013, the draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy be further amended as follows:

(a) That a heading ‘Policy Considerations’ be inserted in Section 2, before the paragraphs setting out the requirement to consider each case on its own merit and the right to make a representation.

(b) That the following paragraph be included in Section 8:

‘Where the Local Authority Director of Public Health submits a relevant representation the relevant Licensing Objective is likely to be Public Safety. This may include where a premises has undermined the objectives in respect of accidents and injury and other harms that may be caused by alcohol consumption. These issues may also impact on the prevention of crime and disorder objective and/or the protection of children from harm objective.’

(c) That the following paragraph be included in Section 1:

‘The Licensing Authority has noted that the vicinity test in respect of relevant representations has been removed and consequently any person can now make a representation.’

(d) That the paragraph numbering error in Section 2 be corrected.

(e) That 'significant' be replaced with 'detrimental' in paragraph 7.2.

(f) That paragraphs 8.3 and 8.4 of the existing policy be included after paragraph 9.7.

(g) That paragraph 22.4 be moved to Section 2.

(h) That the mandatory conditions be included as an appendix to the Policy.

(i) That, in addition to the four statutory licensing objectives, the other key aims and purposes supported by the Statutory Guidance, issued by the Home Office, be detailed in Section 2.

(j) That the wording of paragraph 2.5 be amended to reflect the Statutory Guidance issued by the Home Office.

(k) That paragraph 21.4 be amended by the Licensing Team Leader in consultation with the Chairman.

(l) That a paragraph be added at the end of the Policy by the Licensing Team Leader in consultation with the Chairman to explain how a review of the Statement of Licensing Policy would be undertaken if a review were necessary during the 5 year period for which the Policy was adopted.

2.         That the draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy, as amended, be referred to Cabinet for consideration.

3.         That Council be recommended to adopt the revised Statement of Licensing Policy, as amended.