Agenda item - Member Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by Members:

(a)               Petitions: to receive any petitions submitted to the full Council or at the meeting itself;

(b)               Written Questions: to consider any written questions;

(c)               Letters: to consider any letters;

(d)               Notices of Motion: to consider any Notices of Motion. Notice of Motion put at Full Council on 12 December 2013 in relation to Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (copy attached)

25a     Petitions

25.1    There were none.

25b     Written Questions

25.2    There were none.

25c     Letters

25.3    There were none.

25d     Notices of Motion

25.4    The Committee considered a Notice of Motion put at Full Council on 12 December 2013 in relation to fixed odds betting terminals. An extract  setting out of the minute of the meeting of Full Council had also been circulated to Members in advance of the meeting.

25.5    The Chair, Councillor Powell responded in the following terms:

            “It is likely that many interested parties, regulators and service providers, like the Gambling Commission, Gamcare and gambling licensing authorities would support lobbying.

Do vulnerable adults receive sufficient gambling regulation protection?Gambling is widely accepted in the UK as a legitimate entertainment activity by government. There has been considerable disagreement between those who believe gambling to be a fundamentally damaging activity, which should be severely restricted, if not banned, and those who argue that individuals should be free to gamble, with only those minimal restrictions needed to prevent crime and protect the vulnerable. Fixed Odds Betting Terminals have been described as “the crack cocaine of gambling”. In 2012, the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee reported that the Gambling Act 2005 had resulted in inconsistencies. The Committee said more power should be devolved to local authorities, which had the local knowledge to assess their impact, with central regulation existing to ensure high standards of protection for the vulnerable, particularly children. The London Health Inequalities Network reported to Public Health England that the availability of problem gambling treatment services data is very limited.

The NOM requires actions of the Chief Executive and Policy and Resources Committee, rather than this committee.”

25.6    RESOLVED – That the content of the Notice of Motion be noted and received.