Urgent item under S 100B (4) of the Local Government Act 1972*

The reason for urgency is that the consultation closed on 26 November and the report was not added to the agenda until the Chair and Vice-Chair had reviewed the comments. This was after the publication date of 27 December.

Before this can be discussed, the Lord Mayor must state whether he considers the item should be taken at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

The Head of Community Services submitted a report to the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee on 14 September 2015 which detailed the revised draft Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy for public consultation. In discussion the Committee agreed that the “No Casino” resolution should be retained.

The Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee resolved to:

1.    Agree that a 6 week consultation be held on renewing the revised draft Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy; and

2.    Recommend to Council to resolve to adopt the revised draft Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy effective from 31 January 2016 (subject to any relevant representations being received within the consultation deadline to be reviewed by the Chair and Vice-Chair of this Committee) on the basis that a further review of the Policy will be undertaken following new Guidance from the Gambling Commission being issued.

Two relevant representations were received and the Chair and Vice-Chair have considered these. There are no changes to the recommended policy.

The Committee Chair will move the recommendations.

Recommendations

Council is recommended to adopt the revised draft Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy as attached to the agenda effective from 31 January 2016.

*Local Government Act 1972 (section inserted by Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 )

100B Access to agenda and connected reports.

(1)Copies of the agenda for a meeting of a principal council and…. copies of any report for the meeting shall be open to inspection by members of the public at the offices of the council in accordance with subsection (3) below.

 (3)Any document which is required by subsection (1) above to be open to inspection shall be so open at least five clear days before the meeting, except that - .

…………

(b)where an item is added to an agenda copies of which are open to inspection by the public, copies of the item (or of the revised agenda), and the copies of any report for the meeting relating to the item, shall be open to inspection from the time the item is added to the agenda;

but nothing in this subsection requires copies of any agenda, item or report to be open to inspection by the public until copies are available to members of the council.

(4)An item of business may not be considered at a meeting of a principal council unless either

(a)a copy of the agenda including the item (or a copy of the item) is open to inspection by members of the public in pursuance of subsection (1) above for at least [F4five clear days] before the meeting or, where the meeting is convened at shorter notice, from the time the meeting is convened; or .

(b)by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified in the minutes, the chairman of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

The Lord Mayor certified this as an urgent item under S100B (4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

The reason for urgency is that the consultation closed on 26 November and the report was not added to the agenda until the Chair and Vice-Chair had reviewed the comments. This was after the publication date of 27 November.

Council considered a report which detailed the revised Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy. The Statement was unchanged from that approved by the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee for consultation at its meeting on 14 September.

Council resolved to:

adopt the Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy as attached to the agenda effective from 31 January 2016.