Agenda item

Licensing Act 2003 - Draft Statement of Licensing Policy

Report of the Chief Licensing Officer

Minutes:

6.1

The Chief Licensing Officer submitted a report on the draft, revised Statement of Licencing Policy, under the Licencing Act 2003

 

 

6.2

The report, introduced by Claire Bower (Licensing Strategy and Policy Officer) contained the draft Statement of Licensing Policy, information on the public consultation process undertaken, attaching the comments received as part of that process, at Appendix ‘A’, and set out details of the process and timetable followed.  Ms Bower reported that the report would be submitted to the Cabinet in November 2020, and full Council in December 2020 for final approval.

 

 

6.3

Members of the Committee raised questions, and the following responses were provided:-

 

 

 

·            The present policy on vaping, as set out under the Public Nuisance Policy in the draft Statement, indicated that vaping would be treated in the same way as smoking is, in line with the smoke free legislation.  There had been discussions as to whether this should be included.

 

 

 

·            In terms of Cumulative Impact Areas (CIA), the Authority would look at areas of stress, such as where there was a high number of licensed premises, in order to assess whether such an area could potentially reach a ‘tipping point’ and whether steps should then be taken to designate the area as a CIA.  A considerable amount of work, specifically evidence-gathering, had been undertaken by the Authority and its partners with regard to the West Street/Division Street area, but it had not been possible to get sufficient tangible evidence to allow for the area’s designation as a CIA.

 

 

 

·            External drinking areas were just a short-term measure to offer assistance to licensed premises during the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

 

 

·            A number of areas in the City, such as Broomhill, had had their designations of areas of stress removed as they were no longer deemed to be an issue.  This had followed the Authority taking enforcement action, where necessary, and/or offering help and advice, and providing training.  It was believed that there were currently no areas of stress in the City.

 

 

 

·            The only way the Authority could approve the designation of an area as a CIA was if there had been regular incidents of serious crime and disorder.  There had not been a sufficient level of representations regarding the Abbeydale Road/Broadfield Road area to warrant any further investigations at this stage.

 

 

 

·            Alcohol Exclusion Zones provided the police with powers to hand out penalty notices to people drinking alcohol and causing anti-social behaviour in such Zones.  The legislation had since changed, and it was no longer dealt with by this Committee as it also addressed other issues, such as nuisance dogs and car parking.

 

 

6.4

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

 

 

 

(a)      notes the information contained in the report now submitted, together with the comments now made and the responses to the questions raised; and

 

 

 

(b)      requests that the draft Statement of Licensing Policy be submitted to a future meeting, prior to its submission to the Cabinet, subject to the following suggestions, for approval:-

 

 

 

(i)             the issue regarding vaping be further referred to the  Health Protection Service and the Office of the Director of Public Health for further comment; and

 

 

 

(ii)            the revised draft Statement to include tracked changes which clearly highlight what revisions have been made.

 

 

 

Supporting documents: