Agenda and minutes

In accordance with Rule 41a of Part 4A of the Council Procedure Rules Councillor Cank took the Chair in Councillor Thomas’ absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors  Byrne, Hunter and Thomas.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business on the agenda.

Members were asked to declare any interests they might have in the business on the agenda.  No such declarations were received.

The minutes of the meetings held on 28 August and 30 September (Special Meeting) have been circulated and the Committee will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

The minutes can be found on the Council’s website at the following link:-

http://www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk:8071/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=784&Year=0

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meetings held on 28 August and 30 September (Special Meeting) be confirmed as a correct record.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any petitions submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no petitions had been submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any questions, representations and statements of case submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no questions, representations and statements of case had been submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Director of Local Services and Enforcement submits a report requesting Members to comment upon the proposed policy and special policy on cumulative impact to assist Council when setting the policy for 2016-2021.

The Director of Local Services and Enforcement submitted a report requesting Members to comment upon the proposed policy and special policy on cumulative impact to assist Council when setting the policy for 2016-2021.

The Committee were previously asked to comment upon the policy in August 2015, and requested to see the comments received as part of the public consultation.  These comments were appended to the report together with officers’ responses. 

The main changes to the Licensing Policy were:-

Paragraph 7.8 - The licensing authority recommends that proper incident recording systems are in place.

Paragraph 7.13 - Recognises that it may be appropriate to carry out a risk assessment where events promoted by a third party or which are not part of the usual business of the premises are to take place.

Paragraph 7.14 ­– Sets out the steps that the licensing authority would expect to be taken to prevent crowd disorder at boxing events.

Paragraph 9.1 – The licensing authority recommends that off-licences in areas associated with problem street drinking take certain steps to prevent problems occurring.

Paragraph 10.6 – The licensing authority recommends that a risk assessment is undertaken and the police are informed about events aimed at children in premises which normally sell alcohol.

It was also suggested that the Policy should have a Foreword which would provide an opportunity to set out the Council’s views on issues that would not normally be included in the policy, such as a vision, aspirations or a desired direction of travel for licensed premises in the City.  The foreword would need to contain a clear statement that it did not form part of the licensing policy in order to prevent it being used as the basis for a potential challenge to a decision which had been taken in accordance with the licensing policy and the licensing objectives.

RESOLVED:

1)         That the Council be informed that the Committee supports the draft Statement of Licensing Policy and recommends it be adopted.

2)         That the Committee supports the inclusion of a Foreword to set the vision, aspirations or a desired direction of travel for licensed premises in the City provided it contains a clear statement that it does not form part of the licensing policy to prevent it being used as the basis for a potential challenge.

The Director of Local Services and Enforcement submits a report seeking the Committee’s views on the Gambling Policy for 2016 – 2019 prior to its approval by Council.

The Director of Local Services and Enforcement submitted a report seeking the Committee’s views on the Gambling Policy for 2016 – 2019 prior to its approval by Council.

It was noted that the new Gambling Policy for 2016-19 was required to be published by 3 January 2016. 

It was also suggested that the Policy should have a Foreword which would provide an opportunity to set out the Council’s views on issues that would not normally be included in the policy, such as a vision, aspirations or a desired direction of travel for gambling premises in the City and the Council’s views on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. The foreword would need to contain a clear statement that it did not form part of the licensing policy in order to prevent it being used as the basis for a potential challenge to a decision which had been taken in accordance with the gambling policy.  The Committee also supported the development and publication of a local area profile.

RESOLVED:

1)         That the Council be informed that the Committee supports the draft Statement of Gambling Policy and recommends it be adopted.

2)         That the Committee supports the inclusion of a Foreword to set the vision, aspirations or a desired direction of travel for gambling premises in the City provided it contains a clear statement that it does not form part of the gambling policy to prevent it being used as the basis for a potential challenge.

3)         That the Foreword should contain a specific reference to the Council’s views on stakes for Fixed Odds Betting Terminals.  

The Chair declared the  meeting closed at 5.50 pm.