Agenda and minutes

Councillor Singh Johal was appointed as Chair for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Shelton.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

Members were asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary or other interest they might have in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Fonseca declared that that he was on the Licensing Hearing Panel on 15^th October 2015 when the application for a sexual entertainment venue licence was first approved for Chasers, 15 Free Lane, Leicester, LE1 1JX.

The minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Enforcement Sub-Committee held on 1^st October 2019 are attached, and Members will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Enforcement Sub-Committee held on 1^st October 2019 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report attached. A copy of the associated documentation is attached for Members only. Further copies are available on the Council’s website at www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk or by phoning Democratic Support on 454 6354.

The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services submitted a report that required Members to determine an application to renew a sexual entertainment venue (SEV) licence under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, as amended by the Policing and Crime Act 2009, for Chasers Gentlemen’s Club, 15 Free Lane, Leicester, LE1 1JX.

Mr Davinder Singh Grewal (Managing Director for Chaser Grill Services Limited), Mr Gerard McGeachey (Business Partner) and legal representative were present. Ms Helen Everett an objector was in attendance. The Licensing Team Manager and Legal Representative to the Sub-Committee were also present.

Introductions were made and the procedure for the meeting outlined.

The Licensing Team Manager outlined the details of the application and answered questions from Members. A further reference received was circulated to the Legal Adviser to the Sub-Committee, to the Members and to the objector.

The legal representative for Mr Grewal and Mr McGeachey was given the opportunity to state their case and answered questions from Members and the objector.

Ms Everett was given the opportunity to state the objections to the application and answered Members questions.

Ms Everett was then given the opportunity to sum up their position and make any final comments.

The legal adviser on behalf of the applicant was then given the opportunity to sum up their position and make any final comments.

The Sub-Committee received legal advice from the Legal Adviser to the Sub-Committee in the presence of everyone.

The Legal Adviser to the Sub-Committee, the Licensing Team Manager, Mr Grewal, Mr McGeachey and their legal representative, and Ms Everrett then withdrew from the meeting.

In reaching their decision Members felt they should deliberate in private on the basis that this was in the public interest, and as such outweighed the public interest of their deliberation taking place with all the parties present.

Members then gave the application full and detailed consideration.

The Solicitor to the Sub-Committee was recalled to give advice to the Sub-Committee on the wording of the decision.

The Licensing Team Manager, Mr Grewal, Mr McGeachey and their legal representative, and Ms Everrett then returned to the meeting.

The Chair informed all persons present that the Legal Adviser to the Sub-Committee had been recalled to give advice to the Sub-Committee on the wording of their decision.

RESOLVED:

That the application for the renewal of a sexual entertainment venue licence for Chasers Gentlemen’s Club, 15 Free Lane, Leicester, LE1 1JX be GRANTED.

The Sub-Committee had been asked to determine an application by Chaser Grill Services Limited to renew a SEV licence. The Sub-Committee stated they had considered the matter on its own merits and in accordance with the licensing authority’s Policy on the Licensing of Sexual Entertainment Venues.

In reaching their decision, Members had carefully considered the committee report, the presentation by the Licensing Team Manager, all representations submitted by the applicant, the objection to the application and the legal advice provided during the hearing.

As a result of what they had heard, the decision of the Sub-Committee was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

There being no other items of urgent business, the meeting closed at 12.33pm.