Agenda item

6.1

The Chief Licensing Officer submitted a report to (a)  inform Members of a consultation paper that had been released by the Home Office proposing to abolish personal alcohol licences, (b) consult with Members regarding the new proposals outlined in the consultation paper and (c) obtain comments for the Licensing Authority’s formal response to the consultation.

6.2

Claire Bower, Principal Licensing Officer, stated that the Home Office objective is to reduce regulation on businesses and cut “red tape” surrounding the sale of alcohol.  She stated that, in the opinion of officers, the proposals in the consultation would undermine some of the priorities, values and outcomes in the “Standing Up for Sheffield: Corporate Plan 2011-14”.  Claire Bower added that the current system for personal licences provides individuals with training in licensing legislation, thereby improving employment chances and providing a higher skilled workforce in the licensed sector and also a higher degree of social responsibility, thereby, in turn, improving safety in the community.

6.3

In response to questions from Members of the Committee, Claire Bower and Matt Proctor, Senior Licensing Officer, gave instances of recent personal licence applications that had been heard and the reasons why they felt the current legislation should be widened, and also that research carried out had not found anyone involved in the licensed sector to be in favour of the proposed abolition of Personal Licences.

6.4

RESOLVED: That having considered the details of the consultation document on proposals to abolish personal alcohol licences, the draft response to the Government consultation, appended to the report now submitted, be approved.