Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor M Potts

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

None

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the attached Minutes of the special meeting held on 16 December 2021.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2021 were approved as a true record

Report of the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer.

Members considered the arrangements for Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee and Sub-Committee meetings for the 2022-23 Municipal Year. The report included proposals for a possible schedule of attendees for Licensing and Gambling Acts Sub-Committee meetings. It also raised for discussion the future procedural arrangements for the deferral of Sub-Committee hearings, when an Applicant or Licence Holder could not be present; and whether an upper limit should be placed on those who could attend hearings in support of the Applicants or Licence Holders.

Members discussed the proposals. They reiterated many of the points made at the previous meeting of the General Licensing Committee, which had also considered these issues. At the conclusion off the discussion Members felt that the proposals should be discussed further, at a future meeting of the Committee. They also asked that this discussion be assisted by information on the best practice approaches taken by other local authorities and the Magistrates Courts, when dealing with licensing matters.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted

Update by the Joint Assistant Director of Environmental Health Services.

The report to Committee dealt with the Council’s responsibilities under The Gambling Act 2005. The Act contains three licensing objectives, which the Council should seek to achieve. In particular, to: (a) Prevent gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder, or being used to support crime; (b) Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way; and (c)protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

Members were reminded that under the Act, the Council was required to prepare a ‘Statement of Principles’) or Policy on how it will regulate gambling in the District. This should set out its expectations about how operators should behave, and to ensure the general public and Responsible Authorities are aware as to how the Council approaches Gambling Regulation. Members heard that following consideration of a draft policy through the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee, a 12 week public consultation exercise had been held on the revisions. The responses to the Consultation, it was explained, would form part of the final report to Committee.

The Committee heard that in addition to these responses some Members expressed an interest in further exploring the possibility of introducing a cumulative impact policy (sometimes referred to as a ‘saturation policy’). to restrict the number of Gambling Premises within the district. This work was currently being undertaken and would also form part of the final report to Committee at its meeting in October.

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RESOLVED

That the update be noted

To consider any other matter which the Chair of the Committee is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

None