Councillor Clarkson proposed, and Councillor Taylor seconded the nomination of Councillor Lygo to be elected as Chair of the Committee for 2025/26.

Councillor Sandelson proposed, and Councillor Jupp seconded the nomination of Councillor Miles to be elected as Chair of the Committee for 2025/26.

The two nominations were put to the vote and by 8 votes to 6, the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee resolved that Councillor Miles be elected as the Chair for 2025/26.

Councillor Taylor proposed, and Councillor Upton seconded the nomination of Councillor Lygo to be elected as Vice-Chair of the Committee for 2025/26.

Councillor Jupp proposed, and Councillor Rehman seconded the nomination of Councillor Mundy to be elected as Vice-Chair of the Committee for 2025/26.

The two nominations were put to a vote and received 7 votes each. The result of a coin toss determined Councillor Mundy as the Vice-Chair of the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee for 2025/26.

None.

The Director of Law, Governance, and Strategy has submitted a report to establish Licensing and Gambling Casework Acts Sub-Committees for the 2025-26 Council Year to deal with the casework flowing from the Committee’s own responsibilities.

Recommendation(s): That the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee resolves to:

1.    Appoint as many licensing casework sub-committees of three members as there are combinations of three members in the total number of members of the Committee.

2.    Note the Sub-Committees’ powers and duties as set out in Appendix 1 to this report.

3.    Agree the dates on which the Sub-Committees will meet if required.

The Director of Law, Governance, and Strategy had submitted a report to establish the Licensing and Gambling Casework Acts Sub-Committees for the 2025-26 Council Year to deal with the casework flowing from the Committee’s own responsibilities.

The Committee and Member Services Manager introduced the report, explaining that as many Sub-Committees as required can be appointed throughout the year. Members were reminded of the requirement to attend mandatory training in order to ensure their ability to sit on Sub-Committees throughout the forthcoming year. The Committee and Member Services Manager also reminded the Committee that appointments to Sib-Committees are not bound by political proportionality.

The Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee unanimously resolved to:

1. Appoint as many licensing casework sub-committees of three members as there are combinations of three members in the total number of members of the Committee.
2. Note the Sub-Committees’ powers and duties as set out in Appendix 1 to this report.
3. Agree the dates on which the Sub-Committees will meet if required.

Deputy Chief Executive for City and Citizens’ Services has submitted a report to review the Cumulative Impact Assessment and determine the Special Saturation Policy.

Recommendations: That the Licensing & Gambling Acts Committee:

1.    Consider the report and Cumulative Impact Assessment for 2025-2028.

2.    Agree to the Cumulative Impact Assessment for 2025-2028 including the recommendation to control cumulative impact by retaining a Special Saturation Policy covering City Centre and East Oxford areas.

3.    Recommend to Full Council adoption of the Cumulative Impact Assessment for 2025-2028 and continued Special Saturation Policy covering City Centre and East Oxford areas.

The Chair invited Councillor Hollingsworth to address the Committee.

Councillor Hollingsworth expressed that his address would not negatively comment on the report or its drafting, but rather on the Special Saturation Policy and the Cumulative Impact Assessment themselves. The Committee were reminded that licensing falls within his Cabinet portfolio. Councillor Hollingsworth outlined that the original version of the policy that existed in the early 2000s and compared the context relating to venues and licenses between that time, and now in 2025. The Committee heard of his concern that premises which positively enable the connection of culture, leisure and art, are being lost through the stipulations of the policy now and licence are being unnecessarily reduced across the city. In concluding, Councillor Hollingsworth requested that the Committee deferred their decision on the report to a later meeting to allow sufficient time for more data and evidence to be reviewed and reconsidered. With a view to recognising the current context of Oxford city as opposed to historical considerations.

The Chair invited the Supervising Senior Licensing Officer to present the report which the Deputy Chief Executive for City and Citizens’ Services had submitted to review the Cumulative Impact Assessment and determine the Special Saturation Policy.

The Committee heard that the report presented the Cumulative Impact Assessment for 2025-2028 following a nine-week consultation period and understood that it serves as an evidence-based tool for considering he adoption of a Special Saturation Policy. As a result of the current CIA, the Supervising Senior Licensing Officer explained that the Licensing Authority is currently of the opinion that the number of licensed premises and club premises within the City Centre and East Oxford is such that it is likely that granting further licences or variations to licences, would be inconsistent with the duty to promote the licensing objectives. Details of the responses to the consultation period were outlined, as enclosed in appendix 2 of the report, and a summary of data and findings relating to crime were summarised. As a result of the consultation period and analysis by the Licensing Authority, the Committee were presented with a new proposed CIA for 2025 to 2028 which retained the opinion of the previous assessment. Details of this were enclosed in appendix 3 for the Committee to review. The Supervising Senior Licensing Officer requested that the Committee recommend to full Council adoption of the CIA 2025-2028 which retains the SSP covering Oxford City Centre and East Oxford.

The Chair thanked the Supervising Senior Licensing Officer and invited questions from the Committee.

Councillor Upton sought clarification of the objectors’ argument that the adoption of the SSP could lead to the closure of multiple businesses. The Supervising Senior Licensing Officer noted that there is little evidence to support this argument, and the question would be hard to respond to as it is not the view of the Licensing Authority. It was also clarified that the Licensing Authority does not find the SSP to stop applications being heard on their own merits but  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

Recommendation: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 10 February 2025 as a true and accurate record.

The Committee resolved to approve the minutes of 10 February 2025 as a true and accurate record and accurate record.

The Committee is scheduled to meet on the following dates:

·       22 September 2025

·       9 February 2026

The Committee noted the dates and times of future meetings.