Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Mary Durcan, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Deputy Shravan Joshi and David Sales.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public summary and minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 2022.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 2022 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which presented the Committee’s terms of reference for review. Members were also asked to consider whether the current meeting frequency was appropriate.

Members confirmed they had no changes to the terms of reference or frequency of meetings.

RESOLVED, that –

·       the terms of reference of the Licensing Committee be approved without amendment for submission to the Court in April 2023;

·       no change be required to the frequency of the Licensing Committee’s meetings.

To receive the public minutes of the Licensing Hearing in respect of the premises Art of Dough, 16 Eldon Street, London, EC2M 7LD.

The Committee received the public minutes of the licensing hearing in respect of the premises Art of Dough, 16 Eldon Street, London, EC2M 7LD.

RESOLVED – That the minutes be noted.

To receive the public minutes of the Licensing Hearing in respect of the premises The Pavilion Bar and Restaurant, 200 Aldersgate Street (Unit 3 South), London, EC1A 4HD.

The Committee received the public minutes of the licensing hearing in respect of the premises the Pavilion Bar and Restaurant, 200 Aldersgate Street (Unit 3 South), London, EC1A 4HD.

RESOLVED – That the minutes be noted.

To receive the public minutes of the Licensing Hearing in respect of the premises Art of Dough, 16 Eldon Street, London, EC2M 7LD.

The Committee received the public minutes of the licensing hearing in respect of the premises Art of Dough, 16 Eldon Street, London, EC2M 7LD.

Members were informed that the event held at the Art of Dough occurred without incident.

RESOLVED – That the minutes be noted.

The Comptroller and City Solicitor to be heard.

The Comptroller & City Solicitor advised the Committee that there were currently no appeals.

Report of the Executive Director Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director Environment detailing the premises licences, and variations to premises licences, granted under the Licensing Act 2003 and administered by the Licensing Service from 1 July 2022 to 30 September 2022.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Commissioner of the City of London Police.

The Committee received a report of the City of London Police providing an update on crimes committed linked to licensed premises between July and September 2022.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Commissioner of the City of London Police.

The Committee received a report of the City of London Police providing an update on Operation Reframe. The event took place on 30 September 2022 and the theme was spiking.

Members were informed that the next Operation Reframe would be taking place on 3 December 2022 and that the theme was bystanders.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Executive Director Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director Environment including an updated Code of Good Practice for approval.

The Chair proposed the following amendments to the Code of Good Practice:

·       Page 65 – To include more detail about how the City of London can support licensed premises in paragraph 1.5.

·       Page 82 – To clarify the City Corporation’s expectations around public safety.

·       Page 94 – To include more information regarding protecting children from harm. It was noted that it was important that this area of the Code of Good Practice reflected that there were some licensed premises in which would be appropriate for children to attend.

RESOLVED, that –

·       Authority be delegated to the Chair and the Deputy Chair to make further amendments to the Code of Good Practice in conjunction with Officers;

·       Approval of the updated Code of Good Practice be sought from the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair, under delegated authority.

Executive Director Environment to be heard.

The Committee received a verbal update from the Executive Director Environment regarding hospitality support that the City Corporation could provide for its licensed premises. The update was in response to the Chair of the Licensing Committee requesting that Officers explore actions to support City trade.

Members were informed that despite the City’s busy events schedule, local venues had not been open to take advantage of the increased footfall. Feedback from venues indicates that they are not uniformly informed about events occurring in the City. It was noted that the City could improve its communication of events to local venues so that they could consider the resulting potential increase in footfall to the City when making decisions about their opening times.

It was noted this links directly to the Destination City Strategy and the ambition to increase visitor numbers and visitor spend.

Members were informed of the following actions:

·         The Highways and Events teams will share a monthly events list by email to available hospitality contacts (of both licensed and non-licensed premises)

·         Officers will obtain updated contact information from premises at the annual Licensing Forum on 1 November and obtain their interest in receiving City events information.

·         Officers are currently assessing the interest in the City Corporation conducting a monthly online session providing information about City events.

·         The City Corporation has a Licensing Officer in place who is a specialist in facilitating the licensing of events. The Officer sits on key events groups.

·         The Golden Key event has developed an interactive eat, drink and after parties map sharing hospitality offers with visitors.

·         Officers are extending existing events communications delivered by the City or events organisers to include communication streams on the footfall opportunity to local venues and venues around our transport hubs.

In response to a query from a Member,

There were no questions.

The following items of urgent business were raised –

·       The Chair informed the Committee that funding had been made available to trial UriLifts and sanitation devices in the Autumn.

·       The Chair noted that this would be Peter Davenport’s final Licensing Committee as the Licensing Manager and thanked him for his work with the Licensing Committee. The Chair also welcomed the new Licensing Manager, Aggie Minas.

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 2022.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 2022 be approved as a correct record.

There were no questions.

There was no other business.