Agenda item

Report of the Director of Markets & Consumer Protection (copy attached).

A report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection on the review of the Statement of Licensing Policy was considered. The report explained that in its capacity as the Licensing Authority, the City Corporation published its first statutory statement of licensing policy under the Licensing Act 2003 in January 2005 and a subsequent review was published in January 2008 and again in January 2011. Although not statutorily due for a further review until 2016 it was felt that due to changes in the Corporation’s policies and procedures, the introduction of a new code of practice and major legislative changes to the Licensing Act 2003 there was a need to revise and update the Statement of Licensing Policy sooner.

The following amendments, which were tabled, were taken into consideration and agreed by the Committee to be incorporated into the Statement of Licensing Policy:

Paragraph 37

Replace first line with:

‘The City Corporation always expects every Premises Licence Holder to comply fully with its statutory duty to promote the licensing objectives and in respect of any 'promoted event' therefore strongly recommends that:’

Paragraph 48 – line 9

Remove. ‘…the race, religion, sex or sexuality…’

Replace with, ‘…protected characteristics, as defined by the Equalities Act 2010,…’

Paragraph 55 – line 3

Add the following text after ‘…licensing conditions.’

‘…licensing conditions (these mandatory conditions applying to all premises licences).

Paragraph 57

Checks still being carried out on latest Government policy.

If paragraph 57 is shown to be no longer true changes would be made before the policy goes to print and approved by way of Delegated Authority.

Paragraph 63(v) – line 5

Replace ‘Bridge’ with ‘Brigade’

Paragraph 72

Delete the first line of the paragraph and replace with:

‘When the current licensing regime passed to Local Government in 2005, one of the aims was to prevent concentrations of…’

Page 32

Insert CD13 (e):

Where a premises holds a special event which is expected to attract a greater than usual number of patrons (and in excess of 500) the Premises Licence Holder will be expected to notify the City of London Police Licensing Team in advance of the event.

Page 56

After Primary Care Trust add:

‘…(until 31 March 2013 and thereafter its statutory successor)…’

The Chairman explained that the above amendments would be circulated to Members of the Court and orally reported at the Court of Common Council meeting on 17 January 2013.

In relation to the Foreword text it was highlighted that this did not require Court of Common Council approval and would be inserted once the policy had been agreed.

RESOLVED – That Members agree that:

·           the  amendments to the draft 2013 Statement of Licensing Policy in light of the consultation responses be approved as the final text and;

·           the Statement of Licensing Policy be submitted to the Court of Common Council for final approval, subject to the above amendments.