Agenda item - Work of the Licensing Authority During 2009/10

Report of the Director of Environment (copy attached).

29.1    The Committee considered a report from the Director of Environment regarding the Work of the Licensing Authority during 2009/10.

29.2    Mr Nichols introduced the report and felt that it demonstrated the good work conducted by the Licensing Authority over the last year. He highlighted recent changes within the Policing and Crime Act 2009, necessitating new advice appended to the report that advised Councillors on acting as interested parties in their capacity as Ward Councillor. This allowed Councillors to give views in the own right to ensure reviews were brought in certain cases.

29.3    Councillor Kitcat asked when this change came into effect and the Solicitor to the Committee, Ms Sidell, replied that it was already in place.

29.4    Councillor Marsh referred to the breakdown of panel membership in the report and felt that membership needed to be distributed more evenly among the Groups.

29.5    Councillor West felt the breakdown of membership was one-dimensional in nature and did not take account of the process whereby the Chairman and Deputy Chairman were asked to sit on the panel first. He added that he had volunteered to sit on many panels that had been cancelled at short notice, but assumed these had not been included in the figures. He thanked the Licensing Team for the hard work they had put in over the year.

29.6    Councillor Kitcat noted the general trend in reduction of public place violent crime, but felt that violent crime was increasing in his ward and that the increase in alcohol premises was related to this and was changing the traditional street scene. He added that he was quite often representing residents on panel hearings as many applications came up in his ward, and was therefore unable to take part in the panel proceedings. He also noted that Members’ working patterns were different and those who worked full time or during the day found it especially difficult to attend these meetings. The Chairman agreed the difficulties, noting that she also worked full time.

29.7    Councillor Duncan welcomed the strengthening of a Councillor’s ability to call a review and represent ward constituents, as the vast majority of complaints in a city centre ward were about licensing issues. He felt that people expected Councillors to be public representatives, and now they were able to do this fully.

29.8    Councillor Lepper asked for more information on review and appeals recently conducted by the authority. Ms Sidell gave details on upcoming appeals and those recently completed, which had come out of several reviews of licensed premises.

29.9    RESOLVED –

            1.         That the Committee notes the contents of the report.

            2.         That Members endorse guidance at appendix 4.