Agenda item

7.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Julie Dore, and formally seconded by Councillor Mazher Iqbal, that this Council:-

(a)       reiterates support for previous Council resolutions calling on the Government to give local authorities the powers they need to respond to concerns from their local communities and stop the proliferation of Fixed Odds Betting Terminal (FOBT) machines and betting shops;

(b)       notes that each betting outlet can provide four FOBT machines which offer casino style content, including games such as roulette, at up to £100 a spin, which can be wagered every 20 seconds;

(c)        further notes there are now more than 35,000 FOBTs offering casino content on British high streets, illustrating this is a nation-wide issue, and that there are also more than twice as many betting shops in the 55 local authority areas with the highest levels of deprivation compared with the most affluent 115, which are equivalent by population;

(d)       notes the nationwide campaign by leading charities and religious groups to reduce the stakes on category B2 Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in betting outlets from £100 to £2 per spin, and notes that this is something which the Government’s own Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which regulates the gambling industry, is examining;

(e)       further notes that a recommendation from the DCMS was due in the summer and that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (the Rt. Hon. Karen Bradley MP) has expressed frustration in Parliament about the delays;

(f)        is dismayed by recent reports that the Chancellor has scrapped the review due to fears that cutting the stake to £2 would cost the Treasury in lost tax revenue;

(g)       believes it is outrageous that the Government would make the decision on this basis and agrees with comments by Carolyn Harris MP, Chair of the all-party parliamentary group on fixed-odds betting terminals - “It is morally bankrupt to allow this situation to go on because of a misunderstanding of the economics of FOBTs. Britain will be financially better off if we take action on these machines.”

(h)       wholeheartedly supports the campaign to reduce the maximum stake of FOBT to £2;

(i)         demands better planning powers to restrict the localised proliferation of bookmakers, who are currently opening multiple premises in clusters to facilitate more machines, in accordance with the wishes of the local community; and

(j)         directs that a copy of this motion be sent to the Government to convey Sheffield’s full support for reducing the cap to £2 and to demand better planning powers for local authorities to deal with this.

7.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Sue Auckland, and seconded by Councillor Andrew Sangar, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (h) to (j) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraphs (h) to (j) as new paragraphs (k) to (m):-

(h)       believes this is a direct consequence of the Gambling Act 2005, introduced by the last Labour Government, which removed the need for operators to prove unmet demand;

(i)         notes the comments of the Labour MP, Tom Watson, who stated the Labour Party ‘dropped the ball’ over the 2005 Gambling Act;

(j)         recalls the previous Labour Administration’s support for Sheffield to be the home of the UK’s first “Super-Casino” despite opposition from the community;

7.3

It was then moved by Councillor Douglas Johnson, and seconded by Councillor Robert Murphy, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (k) to (m) as follows:-

(k)        notes this is the fifth time members of the Labour Group have brought a motion to Council on this nationwide issue in three years;

(l)         notes that the Council states, in its “Statement of Principles” under the Gambling Act 2005, that it “recognises how important this sector of the entertainment industry is within the city” and that “well-run businesses will get the support of the Council”; and

(m)      therefore requests the Administration to bring forward a report to the Council within six months on such changes to the Statement of Principles as are appropriate to address the concerns now raised.

7.4

The amendment moved by Councillor Sue Auckland was put to the vote and negatived.

7.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Douglas Johnson was then put to the vote and was also negatived.

7.6

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried as follows:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       reiterates support for previous Council resolutions calling on the Government to give local authorities the powers they need to respond to concerns from their local communities and stop the proliferation of Fixed Odds Betting Terminal (FOBT) machines and betting shops;

(b)       notes that each betting outlet can provide four FOBT machines which offer casino style content, including games such as roulette, at up to £100 a spin, which can be wagered every 20 seconds;

(c)        further notes there are now more than 35,000 FOBTs offering casino content on British high streets, illustrating this is a nation-wide issue, and that there are also more than twice as many betting shops in the 55 local authority areas with the highest levels of deprivation compared with the most affluent 115, which are equivalent by population;

(d)       notes the nationwide campaign by leading charities and religious groups to reduce the stakes on category B2 Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in betting outlets from £100 to £2 per spin, and notes that this is something which the Government’s own Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which regulates the gambling industry, is examining;

(e)       further notes that a recommendation from the DCMS was due in the summer and that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (the Rt. Hon. Karen Bradley MP) has expressed frustration in Parliament about the delays;

(f)        is dismayed by recent reports that the Chancellor has scrapped the review due to fears that cutting the stake to £2 would cost the Treasury in lost tax revenue;

(g)       believes it is outrageous that the Government would make the decision on this basis and agrees with comments by Carolyn Harris MP, Chair of the all-party parliamentary group on fixed-odds betting terminals - “It is morally bankrupt to allow this situation to go on because of a misunderstanding of the economics of FOBTs. Britain will be financially better off if we take action on these machines.”

(h)       wholeheartedly supports the campaign to reduce the maximum stake of FOBT to £2;

(i)         demands better planning powers to restrict the localised proliferation of bookmakers, who are currently opening multiple premises in clusters to facilitate more machines, in accordance with the wishes of the local community; and

(j)         directs that a copy of this motion be sent to the Government to convey Sheffield’s full support for reducing the cap to £2 and to demand better planning powers for local authorities to deal with this.