Agenda item

Report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Markets and Consumer Protection with a holding policy statement to meet statutory deadlines attached.

The Licensing Manager highlighted that legislation requires that all authorities review their policy at three yearly intervals. This report was last reviewed in January 2013 and therefore was required to be reviewed by January 2016. Members were informed that revised guidance notes were received by Officers in September and that a consultation process would now need to take place before presenting the final text to the Court of Common Council in January 2016.

The Licensing Manager Highlighted that the Statement attached had been amended in terms of dates and paragraph references. He went on to focus Members’ attention on the social responsibility code provision which requires licensees to assess the local risk to the licensing objectives posed by their gambling operations at each of their premises. The Committee were also informed that, as of April 2016, all gambling premises must produce a Risk Assessment based on the Local Authority’s Statement of Licensing Principles.

The Chairman stated that she intended to circulate the amended statement to all Members of the Committee for comment before signing off under Delegated Authority.

In response to a question, the Licensing Manager reported that they had not seen a decline in the number of gambling premises as a result of online gambling using smart phones.

RESOLVED – That, the Committee:-

·         Agree the draft Statement of Licensing Principles text for consultation;

·         Agree the timetable and methodology to determine the final text and adoption of the Statement of Licensing Principles; and

·         Grant delegated authority to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Licensing Committee, to approve the final version of the Statement of Licensing Principles ahead of its submission to the Court of Common Council on 14 January 2016.