Meeting documents

Licensing Act Committee
Thursday 28 July 2005 6.30 pm

Date:
Thursday, 28th July, 2005
Time:
6.30 pm
Place:
Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Arnot Hill Park, Arnold
 

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
6 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
Business for item 6
 
7 TO APPROVE AS A CORRECT RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 9 FEBRUARY 2005.
 RESOLVED:

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2005.
8 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS.
Business for item 8
 
9 LICENSING PANEL MEMBERSHIP
Business for item 9
RESOLVED:

That the process of appointing a Hearing Panel outlined in the report, be agreed.
10 PROGRESS WITH THE LICENSING ACT 2003
Business for item 10
RESOLVED:

To note the work and progress made with the Licensing Act requirements.
11 ANY OTHER ITEMS WHICH THE CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS URGENT.
Business for item 11
 
The meeting closed at 7.10 pm.

Attendance Details

Present:
M.A. Wright (Chairman), P.G. Barnes, P.M. Blandamer, R.T. Day, M.S. Dunkin, P. Feeney, J.F. Glass, R.J. Goodwin, G.L. Millar, J.M. Parr, W.A. Peet, D.A. Pycroft, J.A. Woodward

Business

Business
ItemBusiness
6An Apology for absence was received from Councillor Maddock.
8None declared.
9The Head of Legal and Democratic Services reported that the composition of the Licensing Panels that would sit to adjudicate on applications where objections had been received had previously been agreed. This approach had however given rise to difficulties since if one member of the Panel was unable to sit, either because of an interest in the application, or through previous commitments then the other members of the Panel were also debarred from sitting since the Panel was incomplete. Changes to the membership of this Committee also invalidated those Panels which had been appointed.

It was therefore proposed that when a hearing was required, a Hearing Panel is drawn from the full Committee members on an ad hoc basis - in effect creating more sub-committees consisting of a permutation of any three Members. There was no requirement for proportionality and therefore it was proposed that members are selected for the Hearing Panel alphabetically. Members representing the Ward in which the application premises were situated would not be selected. In this way, if any member could not attend the Hearing when approached, the next member alphabetically would be asked to make up the Hearing Panel.

The Hearing Panel was required to comprise three members, it was therefore important that when a member was approached that that member was sure that they would not have a disqualifying interest in the application and could guarantee their attendance. If a member who is listed to sit on the Hearing Panel does not attend, or has then to declare an interest, the Panel will not be quorate and the hearing will have to be adjourned.
10The Head of Planning and Environment submitted a report that informed Members of the range of work carried out by the Licensing Office in relation to the Licensing Act and the progress made to date.

An update of the position at 22 July with regard to Premise License applications was also submitted.
11None.