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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Rooms 18.01 - 18.03 - 18th Floor, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP

Contact: Tristan Fieldsend, Senior Committee and Councillor Liaison Officer  Email:  tfieldsend@westminster.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

MEMBERSHIP

To report any changes to the membership.

2.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any pecuniary interests or any other significant interest in matters on this agenda.

Minutes:

2.1          There were no declarations of interest.

 

3.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 207 KB

To sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 1 December 2021.

Minutes:

3.1       RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on Wednesday 1 December 2021 were signed as a correct record of proceedings.

 

4.

THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE LEVELLING-UP AND REGENERATION BILL ON THE LICENSING OF TABLES AND CHAIRS

To receive an update from the Head of Licensing and Regulatory Services.

Minutes:

4.1       The Committee were advised that officers wished to defer this item to a future meeting as there were some points that needed further clarification before discussion with members.

 

4.2       RESOLVED:  That the report be submitted to a future meeting.

 

5.

LICENSING POLICY REVIEWS PROGRAMME 2022/23 TO 2024/25 pdf icon PDF 360 KB

To receive a report from the Head of Licensing, Place and Investment Policy.

Minutes:

5.1       The Committee received a report providing an overview of the Licensing Policy Review Programme which will be carried out over the next three years. 

 

5.2       The Committee heard that licensing policies under the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Act 2005 have to be reviewed within specific statutory requirements and the other policies referred to in the report should be reviewed at regular intervals.  Members noted that certain licensing policies needed to be approved by Full Council.

 

5.3       The Committee discussed:

 

  • how the programme was subject to change due to external factors such as changes in legislation associated with existing or new licensing regimes.
  • how the Licensing Service were seeking to rectify the specifying resolution in place for street trading pitches in and around Oxford Street. 
  • how areas became special consideration zones.
  • the possibility of reducing the number of sex establishment licences.
  • the importance of consulting stakeholders and members on each policy.
  • the importance of including modern slavery and violence against women and girls in the Statement of Licensing Policy Review.

 

5.4       ACTION: That a scheduled timetable of the Review Programme (with deadlines) be submitted to the next meeting. 

 

5.5       RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

 

6.

UPDATE OF LICENSING APPEALS pdf icon PDF 370 KB

To receive a report from the Principal Solicitor and Manager (Legal Services).

Minutes:

6.1       The Committee received a report which provided a summary of recent appeal results.  The Committee noted the summary which included details of the six appeals that Legal Services had been dealing with since March 2021, four of which had now been withdrawn and two of which were pending determination. 

 

6.2       The Committee heard that the first pending appeal was regarding the refusal to grant a licence for a 24-hour Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) and the second pending appeal was made by Interested Parties who want the Authority to attach their requested conditions to the Premises Licence.  The Committee noted that further details of the outcomes of these appeals would be provided once the appeals had been dealt with.

 

6.3       The Committee were pleased that the Hemming’s directions hearing had been listed for December.

 

6.4       RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

 

7.

THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LICENSING SERVICE pdf icon PDF 300 KB

To receive an update from the Licensing Service.

Minutes:

7.1       </AI11>The Committee received a report which provided an overview of the Licensing Service over the financial periods 2020/2021 and 2021/2022.  The Committee noted that during 2021/2022 the total number of applications received was 9546.

 

7.2       The Committee heard about the types of regimes and applications handled by the Licensing Service, team performance, significant trends and high-profile events such as the Queens Jubilee, Pride and Notting Hill Carnival.

 

7.3       The Committee discussed:

 

  • the value for money and benefits of the pre-application advice service offered by the Licensing Authority to all Applicants.
  • the importance of robust proof-reading of conditions on Premises Licences.
  • the robust policing and preparation for the Notting Hill Carnival weekend.
  • the benefits of holding the summer concerts simultaneously at Hyde Park. 
  • the recovery of debt owed by street traders.

 

7.4       The Committee welcomed the Licensing Services’ performance on processing applications within two working days of receipt. The Committee noted that currently key performance indicators (KPIs) were set at 90% and the performance attainment for these indicators during 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 was 97%. 

 

7.5       The Committee congratulated the Licensing Service on clearing the backlog of licensing cases.

 

7.6       RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

 

8.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS