None.

The Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety has submitted a report to seek agreement of the licence fees for 2021/22 where the Council has discretion over the level of fee charged

Recommendation: That the Licensing & Gambling Acts Committee resolves to:

1.    Agree the licence fees and charges for 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1 and recommend them to Council.

The Head of Regulatory Services and Community Safety had submitted a report to seek agreement of the licence fees for 2021/22 where the Council has discretion over the level of fee charged.

The report was introduced by  Lucy Longford, Licensing Compliance Officer, noting that no substantial changes were proposed for the forthcoming Council year in order to provide financial stability for licence holders in the present economic climate.

The Chair reminded those present that most of the charges were statutory and in relation to which the Committee’s discretion was limited to the level of charge imposed.

In response to a question about whether fees were currently  being paid  it was confirmed that in the majority of cases they were. At the time of the first lockdown the Local Government Association had suggested to Government that these fees might be waived however the Government maintained that they should continue to be paid. In the minority of cases where fees were not paid, the associated licenses were reinstated immediately upon payment. It was noted that these fees were relatively small when compared with the relief from business rates which was currently being offered.

The Committee was very supportive of the proposals to maintain the current level of charges. It was also noted that many of the businesses to which these fees applied were not able to operate because of other Covid related factors at the current time.

The Licensing & Gambling Acts Committee resolved to:

1.    Agree the licence fees and charges for 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1 and recommend them to Council.

The Head of Regulatory Services & Community Safety will submit a report to seek the Committee’s agreement to the revised Statement of Licensing Policy for public consultation.

This report will follow as a supplement.

Lucy Longford, Licensing Compliance Officer introduced the report. Taking into account the significant disruption to the night time economy caused by the current pandemic it was proposed to maintain the current policy for the forthcoming Council year, an approach supported by the Minister of State for Crime & Policing. The Policy before the Committee was therefore substantially the same with just minor changes of detail. It was however proposed to conduct a thorough review of the policy in 2021 to take full account of the consequences of the pandemic.

A response to the consultation which had preceded the report before the Committee had raised the lack of reference to the 2010 Equality Act. It was confirmed that consideration would be given to a more explicit reference to the Act as part of the forthcoming review.

The timescale for the review had yet to be confirmed but it was hoped that a draft would be ready for consideration by the Committee at its September meeting.

Recommendation: That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 May 2020 be APPROVED as a true and accurate record.

The Committee resolved to:

Approve the minutes of the meeting held on 21 May  2020 as a true and accurate record.

Meetings are scheduled on:

·       20 May 2021

·       27 September 2021

·       07 February 2022

All meetings start at 6.00pm

Meetings are scheduled on:

·       20 May 2021

·       27 September 2021

·       07 February 2022

All meetings start at 6.00pm