Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Stephen Cox, Rue Grewal, Raj Khiroya, Ciaran Reed and Andrew Scarth.

The Chair read out the following statements:

“We are in the pre-election period, formerly known as Purdah, for the general election on 4 July. We are therefore in a heightened state of political sensitivity, and I kindly remind Members that they should avoid making political statements or comments which could potentially influence voters in the general election”.

“Due to the Licensing Committee agenda being published late, as Chair of this meeting, I have agreed to take the agenda item as an urgent item”.

To confirm, as being a correct record, the minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting on 14 June 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2023 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.

There were no declarations of interest

The review of the ‘Statement of Gambling Principles and Policy (hereafter referred to as “the Policy”) is required at least every 3 years, as set out within Section 349 of The Gambling Act 2005 (“the Act”).

Recommendation

It is recommended that Members agree to Option 1:

       I.          Consider the revised Policy found at Appendix B (this is a tracked document highlighting the amendments made to the current policy).

     II.          Consider whether to include a proposed ‘No Casino Resolution’ as part of the Policy consultation and seek wider opinion on the granting of such a resolution.

    III.          Commence a six-week public consultation process on the revised Policy and any potential ‘No Casino Resolution’.

   IV.          Any response(s) to be circulated to all members of the committee with an officer response. The Head of Regulatory Services, in conjunction with the Lead Member, will then use her discretion following any response(s) received to conclude whether the amended Policy attached to this report can be adopted by Full Council or return to a future Licensing Committee.

     V.          Consider adding a further review of the Policy to the Licensing Committee work programme in early 2025, subject to guidance/legislation changes

The Licensing Committee considered a report which set out the review of the gambling Policy ‘Statement of Principles 2025 to 2028’. The report was presented by Matthew Roberts, Team Leader Development Management and Lorna Fryer, Lead Licensing Officer.

The current policy was amended in 2021 and came into effect on 14 January 2022. A review of the policy was required every 3 years.

The report sought to consult Members on the revised draft policy and minor variations after which a consultation exercise was proposed.

The report also considered whether a ‘No Casino Resolution’ should be put in place after it had been removed in 2021 and if so, be included as part of any consultation exercise.

The policy would go out to consultation after the upcoming General Election and following consultation, would be presented to Full Council.

Officers explained that the Secretary of State provided which authorities would be permitted to issue the limited number of casino licenses and Three Rivers District Council (TRDC) was not one of the permitted authorities. However, this could change with future legislation.

Members discussed the ‘No Casino Resolution’ in detail and whether it should be re-instated and added to the Policy. Members concluded that the Three Rivers borough was not the right area to have a casino due to the population demographic and large amounts of Green Belt land. With a change of government and policy, the borough may be vulnerable without a “No Casino Resolution” in place.

RESOLVED (Unanimously):

a)     That the Policy be amended to include a recommendation to consider a “No Casino Resolution”.

b)     That the ‘No Casino Resolution’ would form part of the Policy consultation and seek wider opinion on the granting of such a resolution.

c)     That a six-week public consultation process on the revised Policy

and the potential ‘No Casino Resolution’ would be commenced.

d)     Any response(s) to be circulated to all members of the committee with an officer response.

e)     The Head of Regulatory Services, in conjunction with the Lead Member, will use her discretion following any response(s) received to conclude whether the amended Policy attached to this report can be adopted by Full Council or return to a Licensing Committee.

f)      Consider adding a further review of the Policy to the Licensing Committee work programme in early 2025, subject to guidance/legislation changes.

To agree the work programme.

The Team Leader of Development Management advised that the ‘Statement of Gambling Principles and Policy’ and ‘No Casino Resolution’ amendment would be brought back to Committee following the public consultation.

The Statement of Licensing Policy was due to expire in February 2026 and would be added to the 2025 Work Programme.

There was none.