Liberal Democrat Group Member Motion

This Council values the significant contribution of the hospitality sector to our residents, our community and our local economy in Oxford. However, this council regrets that many residents face a level of noise disturbance from licensed premises that interferes significantly with their right to enjoy their home. This council recognises that the disturbance is not limited to the weekends but also occurs mid-week. The issue has been exacerbated by the increased levels of outside drinking and entertainment due to the pandemic, as well as complacency by some license holders.

This council takes its responsibilities towards statutory noise nuisance from licensed premises seriously. Therefore, it seeks to strengthen noise reporting mechanisms for residents, improve awareness among residents of how to report noise issues and of the council’s procedure for handling complaints, and build the capacity of license holders to control noise from licensed premises.

Specifically, this council commits to:

·         Review the start time of the out of hours noise service telephone line provision from 10pm to earlier to allow sufficient time for the reported noise to be investigated;

·         Appraise increasing the number of days a week that the out of hours noise service is available;

·         Strengthen the service level agreements of the out of hours noise service to ensure that callers to the service do not have to wait more than 5 minutes for their call to be answered;

·         Increase the information on the City Council website about how it responds to noise complaints about a licensed premise, the powers the council have to stop a statutory nuisance and the powers residents have to take their own legal action against a licensed premise on the basis of noise;

·         Produce a leaflet for residents to download from the council website with information about how to make a noise complaint and collect evidence to support a complaint; and

·         Produce a leaflet to disseminate to licensed premises on controlling noise from their premises.

Council requests that the Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety brings a report to Cabinet with proposals to implement this motion.

Cllr Gant on behalf of Cllr Miles, seconded by Cllr Landell Mills, proposed the submitted motion as set out in the agenda and briefing note.

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was not agreed.