None.  

Recommendation: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2025 as a true and accurate record.

The Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2025 as a true and accurate record. 

Public addresses relating to matters of business for this agenda, up to five minutes is available for each public address.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address must be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on Tuesday 3 February 2026.

None. 

Councillor addresses relating to matters of business for this agenda, up to five minutes is available for each address.

The request should be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on Tuesday 3 February 2026.

None. 

The Deputy Chief Executive for Citizens and City Services had submitted a report to confirm the decision of the Committee on the 22 September 2025 in relation to the Cumulative Impact Assessment and determine the Special Saturation Policy.

Recommendation(s): That theLicensing & Gambling Acts Committeeresolves to:

1.    Reaffirm its decision of the 22 September 2025 to not renew the Cumulative Impact Assessment and Saturation Policy covering the City Centre and East Oxford areas, noting that the matter is a decision for Committee with no onwards requirement for a decision by full Council;

The Licensing & Gambling Acts Committee resolved to:

1.    Reaffirm its decision of the 22 September 2025 to not renew the Cumulative Impact Assessment and Saturation Policy covering the City Centre and East Oxford areas, noting that the matter is a decision for Committee with no onwards requirement for a decision by full Council;

2.    And to recommend that an updated CIA is brought to a future Committee for consideration.

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to?confirm the decision of the Committee on the 22 September 2025 in relation to the Cumulative Impact Assessment and determine the Special Saturation Policy. 

The Committee and Member Services Manager introduced the report and outlined the recommendation for Members to reaffirm their previous decision made in September. Relevant legal advice and reasoning for the report being returned to the Committee was also outlined. 

Councillor Clarkson joined the meeting.  

The Chair invited questions from the Committee.  

Councillor Taylor queried whether the Committee was permitted to consider matters beyond just the licensing objectives when reaching their decision. The Legal Advisor explained that the Committee must seek an evidence-based decision in relation to the licensing objectives and can consider information which they believe supports this. 

 
Councillor Muddiman requested data which had been updated since September 2025. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (KT) noted that since September, 14 new premises licenses had been issued, 8 of which were within the SSP areas. The Committee also heard that 1 was determined by a Sub-Committee, 9 were granted with agreed conditions, and 4 were granted as applied for; no applications had been refused in the period from September. Furthermore, 1 application for a minor variation, and 5 full variation applications were received, of which all were granted with 3 being in the SSP areas. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (KT) noted that 5 applications are currently pending.  

Councillor Muddiman asked whether data was available to compare the number of applications with and without the SSP for a similar duration of time. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (KT) clarified that the only data available for comparison was that of when the SSP was in place for the previously 3 years before it expired, 

Councillor Muddiman requested the officers’ view on whether there been an increase in the number of applications since the SSP expired, to which the Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (KT) noted the numbers of new applications having been steady and only a smaller number of variations to licenses having been requested.  

Councillor Ottino queried whether the conditions attached to recent applications had been generally from police, and whether there had been a lot of resistance from applicants to these. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (KT) confirmed they were mostly TVP agreed conditions and noted that positive conversations between the police and applicants had taken place.  

The Chair asked whether the licenses applied for in SSP areas since its expiry has increased the density of licence holders, or whether the density remains similar as people reapply for previously licensed premises which may have stopped operating.  The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (KT) explained that of the 14 new premises applications received since September, only 8 have been within the city and none have been within East Oxford.  

Councillor Upton noted that an advantage of having an SSP in place is that it supports better and earlier engagement between applicants and relevant authorities. It  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

The Deputy Chief Executive for Citizens and City Services had submitted a report to seek agreement on the licence fees for 2026/27 where the council has discretion over the level of fee charged.

Recommendation(s): that the Licensing & Gambling Acts Committee resolves to:

1.    Recommend to Council to approve the License Fees and Charges for 2026/27 as per the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Act 2005 as set out in Appendix 1.

The Licensing & Gambling Acts Committee resolved to:

1.    Recommend to Council to approve the License Fees and Charges for 2026/27 as per the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Act 2005 as set out in Appendix 1.

The Deputy Chief Executive for Citizens and City Services had submitted a report to seek agreement on the licence fees for 2026/27 where the council has discretion over the level of fee charged. 

The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (KT) introduced the report, noting that the Committee were being asked to recommend the Council to approve the licence fees and charges for the forthcoming financial year. The Committee heard that all fees under the 

Licensing Act are set by statute and cannot be amended whilst fees under the Gambling Act are either set by statute and not able to be amended or are set to the statutory maximum. As such, no substantial increase is proposed to ensure financial stability to license holders in the present economic climate. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (KT) explained that the only minor fee increases proposed was for miscellaneous charges, as noted in appendix one. 

The Committee had no questions on the report. 

 
When proposed by Councillor Lygo and seconded by Councillor Jupp, the Committee voted unanimously in favour of the recommendation. 

The Licensing & Gambling Acts Committee resolved to:

1.    Recommend to Council to approve the License Fees and Charges for 2026/27 as per the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Act 2005 as set out in Appendix 1.

The Committee will next meet on 27 May 2026 at 18.00.

The Committee noted the dates and times of future meetings.