Agenda item

a) * Personal License Holder Hearing – Mr Ward

To receive the public minutes of the licensing hearing in respect of the personal license holder hearing on the 27^th July 2023.

b) * Urban Retreat – 11^th September 2023

To receive the public minutes of the licensing hearing in respect of the premises Urban Retreat, 18-19 Long Lane, London, EC1A 9PL, on 11^th September 2023.

The Committee received the minutes from the Licensing (Hearing) Sub-Committees in respect of the personal license holder hearing on the 27 July 2023 and the premises Urban Retreat, 18-19 Long Lane, London, EC1A 9PL, on 11th September 2023.

Members raised some amendments regarding these minutes:

-        Page 13 – to read Deputy Peter Dunphy in the Members section.

-        Page 17 – the correct spelling of Deputy Shravan Joshi

Members wanted an update following the concerns raised on pages 18 and 21 on the accessibility of portal as there was an action for officers to investigate this matter. Members noted that the website had a technical fault for about a week, however all the statutory consultations were done in accordance with the usual protocols. The resident was in contact with the department to let them know and all the information the residents required was passed on. The issue was now rectified. Members also raised this was a wider City Corporation issue as other sites and portals like the Planning Committee portal often crashes too, therefore it was important to know who monitors these to ensure they were working.

The Chair provided the Committee with some observations having been a Panel Member for hearings. The first hearing was different as it was the first ever instance where the Panel might have had to revoke an individual’s license. The Chair thanked the Chairman of the Committee for his legal expertise and guidance which helped achieve a good decision, as the punishment for the crime had been given out by the court and therefore the panel did not wish to inflict further punishment, as his license was not a danger to the four principles which the Committee abided by. Regarding the second hearing, the representatives had withdrawn their objection at the hearing following the work of the officers and the panel in coming up with conditions which applied to their objections. This was seen as a measure of the departments success in achieve a balance between getting licensed premises in the city without upsetting residents. 

RECEIVED.