Agenda and draft minutes

To report any changes to the membership.

1.1      It was noted that Councillor Angela Piddock was substituting for Councillor Maggie Carman.

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.

2.1          There were no declarations of interest.

3.1      The Licensing (Urgency) Committee received a report which provided a summary and background information on the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act that became law last year.  The Committee heard that the Council had anticipated that the pavement licence scheme would happen later in the year, however, unexpectedly it had commenced on 31 March 2024. 

3.2      The Committee noted that the Licensing Service had already received 151 applications and therefore a decision was required urgently as applications must be determined within 28 days or they were automatically granted for two years. 

3.3      The Committee heard that the Council wished to set the fee at the statutory maximum which was £500 for new applications and £350 for renewal applications due to the time it takes officers to process these applications.  The Committee noted that the Licensing Service would introduce the fees immediately and the decision would be ratified at the next full Licensing Committee.

3.4      The Committee discussed how the government guidance was encouraging all local authorities to grant the licences up to the maximum of two years and how appropriate it would be to grant pavement licences for this length of time in Westminster.  The Sub Committee noted that the benchmark would continue to be six months, however, if a Premises applied for a longer licence that would need to be determined on its own merits.

3.5      ACTION: That further detail such as the link to the Government legislation and the cost of enforcing these licences by the City Inspectors be included in the full report to the Licensing Committee.

3.6      RESOLVED:

1. That the fee at the statutory maximum, which is £500 for new applications and £350 for renewal applications be agreed.

2. That as licences granted under the City of Westminster Act will automatically lapse and not be renewable at their expiration, any Premises holding such a licence shall be treated as a renewal under the new regime (as long as such an application is made before the expiration of the existing licence) and the scope of the application is exactly the same as the application under the granted licence.

4         TERMINATION OF MEETING

4.1      The meeting ended at 9.09am.