Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Protection and Licensing

6.1       The item was introduced by Kerry Simpkin, Licensing Team Manager.  He explained that the report provided an update on the Council’s current approach in relation to gambling and what the next steps would be.  The Council had partnered with Manchester City Council to commission a major piece of research which had been the first in the country to explore area based vulnerability and the risk associated with gambling.  This had highlighted five key hotspot areas within the City which were identified as having a higher concentration of at risk and vulnerable people to gambling related harm.  These areas are North West (Harrow Road), Paddington and Edgware Road (North), West End (North), West End (South) and Victoria and Pimlico.   

6.2       Mr Simpkin advised that the Licensing Service was looking to use the findings of the research in a number of different ways.  There was the development of the gambling policy, including the establishment of the Special Consideration Zones based on the five key hotspot areas.  It was also intended to adopt a cluster policy that requires operators to have heightened measures in place to identify and support those who may be at risk or who are problem gamblers.  It was also being investigated how the Council could develop its policy in relation to the issues caused by Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (‘FOBT’)   

6.3       Mr Simpkin said that consideration was being given to establishing special policies for risk areas where it was known from evidence received locally that there had been a history of issues with gambling premises, notably Harrow Road and the Prince of Wales Junction.  It would then be necessary for gambling premises to demonstrate why they would want to be located in a risk area rather than expecting that there would be a presumption to grant the application.

6.4       Mr Simpkin stated that a further area the research evidence had contributed to was targeted care provision.  He advised that the Licensing Service had been working with Gamcare and had discussions with the Council’s Public Health Team and the Homeless Team in order to establish care provision for Westminster residents and those using the commissioned services.  Gamcare were offering their services free of charge for local residents and to train commissioned services staff.  He added that this would tie in with the Council’s new rough sleeping strategy.  Mr Simpkin welcomed the views of the Committee on work to date and the suggested approach.

6.5       The Committee supported both the work undertaken so far and the suggested approach.  The Chairman described it as a very impressive piece of work which was an example of reaching out beyond what was expected for the good of local residents.  The proposals were well founded. Councillor Caplan stated that gambling premises had become increasingly reliant on FOBTs and that it was perverse that those who were least able to afford it were able to lose hundreds of pounds in a matter of a few minutes.  The establishments had not originally been set up to operate FOBTs.  These had a massive social effect on the vulnerable.  He believed that there should be a policy in place to significantly restrict FOBTs.  Such machines were more applicable to casinos.  Councillor Floru queried what would be the approach if there continued to be a trend towards online gambling and away from gambling at betting premises.  Mr Simpkin replied that the Gambling Act 2005 was very specific that the Council is responsible for licensing premises based gambling within the borough but online gambling was overseen by the Gambling Commission nationally.  There were therefore very limited options available to the Council.  A response to the effects of online gambling was to provide a support network and signposting and counselling.

6.6       RESOLVED: (i) That the Committee expressed support for the work undertaken to date and the suggested approach in relation to gambling set out in the report; and,

            (ii) That the indicative timescales set out in the report be noted.