Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors D Bebbington, M Hardy, L Wardlaw and M Warren.

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.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to the work of the Committee.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers.

Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

There were no members of the public present.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 2015.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive the minutes of the following meetings:

Licensing Act Sub-Committee

27 March 2015

6 May 2015

General Licensing Sub-Committee

2 April 2015

10 April 2015

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Licensing Act Sub-Committee meetings held on 27 March 2015 and 6 May 2015, and the General Licensing Sub-Committee meetings held on 2 April 2015 and 10 April 2015 be received.

For Members’ information, the Committee’s terms of reference and those of its sub-committees, as set out in the Constitution, are attached.

RESOLVED – That the Committee’s Terms of Reference and those of its Sub-Committees, as set out in the Constitution, be noted.

To note the progress of the Licensing Committee Working Group tasked with looking into the Late Night Levy.

The Committee considered a report regarding the Licensing Committee Working Group, which had been established with the aim of identifying options which may reduce the harmful effects of alcohol consumption within the Cheshire East area.

Following recent changes in the membership of the Licensing Committee it was necessary to reinstate the Working Group and ensure that outstanding actions were completed.

RESOLVED – That the work of the Group and the progress made to date be noted.

To note the licensed vehicles suspended by Licensing Officers for the period 1 January 2015 to 20 May 2015.

The Committee considered a report regarding licensed vehicles that had been suspended by Licensing Officers during the period 1 January 2015 to 20 May 2015.

The Council’s Scheme of Delegation made provision for officers to suspend vehicles in certain circumstances, including where vehicles were in breach of a Council condition, a breach of legislation or byelaws, and accident damage.  Details of vehicles suspended by officers were periodically reported to the Licensing Committee.

RESOLVED – That the licensed vehicles suspended by Licensing Officers for the period 1 January 2015 to 20 May 2015, as set out in appendix 1 to the report, be noted.

To consider the proposed revised Statement of Principles.

The Committee considered a report regarding the Council’s draft revised Statement of Gambling Principles.

The Gambling Act 2005 required local authorities to prepare and publish a statement of the principles that they proposed to apply when exercising their functions under the Act during the three year period to which the statement applied.  The Council was required to review its existing statement of principles and publish the revised version by no later than 31 January 2016.  In preparing a revised statement, the Council had to undertake a consultation exercise with stakeholders.

The draft Statement, which was attached as Appendix 1 to the report, incorporated minor amendments, changes in legislation or practice and a local area assessment.

RESOLVED – That the Cabinet Member for Communities be recommended to approve the draft revised Statement of Gambling Principles, to enable the statutory consultation process to commence.