Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Raj Khiroya, Matthew Bedford, Ciaran Reed, David Major and Andrew Scarth.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 29 June 2022.

The minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 29 June 2022 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair of the meeting.

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency. The Chair to rule on the admission of such items.

There were no items of other business.

To receive any declarations of interest.

None received.

To consider and make necessary changes to the Committee’s work programme.

Recommendation:

To note the work programme and for the Committee to make any comments.

The Team Leader of Development Management advised that this was discussed in June 2022 to consider whether a Cumulative Impact Policy was required. Officers were first asked in 2021 to draft a report on the basis of whether there was a need for a Cumulative Impact Assessment in order to create a Cumulative Impact Policy. As we were just emerging from the pandemic, and there had been no significant concentrations of complaints from a specific locality of the District, in respect of licenced premises, officers felt that it wasn’t required. This has not changed and there is nothing at present that suggests an assessment is needed.

The Lead Licensing Officer provided an update on two recent cautions that were issued to two licence holders within the District for breaches to their premises licence, and those had been accepted and added to their PNC records. A multi-agency visit was carried out on 14 June to off-licences and vape stores within the District. Officers visited 23 separate premises, 5 of which there were goods seized. As a result, there could be further actions taken. Officers continue to work in partnership with the Police and Trading Standards.

There is a licensed premises where there is an ongoing investigation since September 2022, and a further update is going to be provided once a review has been completed.

There are other ways of obtaining intelligence on a premises which includes from  officers, by the Police and Environmental Health.Trading Standards; are going to be taking “tobacco dogs” back into the premises to investigate to see if anything else is found. The report then will come back to officers.

A Licensing update on hearings and training held during the year is provided annually  in the MIB

The Statement of Licensing Policy is in effect until February 2026, and the Gambling Policy is in effect until January 2025, officers are aware they need to be reviewed well in advance. There is a requirement from the legislation for review every 5 years and it is recommended by the officers that the Statement of Licensing Policy is reviewed and brought to the June 2025 meeting, and the Gambling Policy be brought to the June 2024 meeting. The review dates may change, depending on the legislation; if there are changes, the policies will need to be reviewed sooner.

RESOLVED:

That the comments be noted, and the amendments be included in the work programme.