Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtually via Microssoft Teams

Contact: Democratic Services  6139

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Simultaneous Translation

You are welcome to use welsh at the meeting a minimum notice period of 3 working days is required should you wish to do so.  A simultaneous translation will be provided if requested.

Minutes:

It was noted that no requests had been received for the simultaneous translation service.

2.

Apologies

To receive.

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence reported.

3.

Declarations of Interests and Dispensations

To receive

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest or dispensations reported.

4.

Licensing Act 2003 Statement of Licensing Policy Review 2021 pdf icon PDF 476 KB

To consider the report of the Team Manager – Trading Standards and Licensing.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Team Manager – Trading Standards and Licensing.

 

The Team Manager – Trading Standards and Licensing outlined the report and informed Members that the purpose of the report was for Members to endorse the consultation exercise. The Licensing Act 2003 stipulates that the policy be reviewed every five years following consultation with stakeholders and interested parties.  The new updated policy must be implemented before October 2021. 

 

A Member enquired how the consultation process would be undertaken during the pandemic.  The Team Manager explained that the consultation would be undertaken in a number of ways, in recent year’s consultations had become more digital in their approach, and links to the consultation would be provided on the Council’s website.  Consultation letters would also be sent to interested parties and responses collated and reported back to Committee. 

 

The Team Manager informed Members that a revised timetable for the consultation had been produced due to the pandemic, however, the consultation period was still on target to meet Committee deadlines and the implementation date.

 

In relation to any changes or updates to the policy over the last 5 years, the Team Manager explained that they work with five Gwent Authorities and as such there were administrative changes over time, but no significant changes or updates to bring to Members attention at this stage.  Following the consultation, all the changes would be highlighted and brought back to Members at that point.

 

With regard to the Licensing Act 2003 a Member referred to Covid related public protection and enquired how this would align with the Act.  The Team Manager said that the Licensing Act and the review of the policy linked back to the licensing objectives such as preventing crime and disorder and ensuring public safety.  Covid-19 was a public health matter but indirectly caught within the policy, for example, where businesses failed to comply with Covid-19 business restrictions regulations that could come under the crime and disorder or public safety objectives of this policy. 

 

In relation to questions regarding the Authority’s provision of CCTV cameras, the Team Manager explained they were utilised on occasion as part of the operational enforcement of the Licensing Act but the overall management and control over the CCTV system was not a matter for the Licensing Act Policy, as management and control over this falls outside the remit of the Licensing Team.  He further explained that conditions could be imposed upon  licenses to require CCTV provision on licensed premises and that such footage must be made available to the relevant enforcement officers within a specified period of time.  As such, the consultation period would allow for comments on this where appropriate.   

 

It was therefore unanimously 

 

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and a consultation on the revised draft Statement of Licensing Policy, in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003 be approved. Following the consultation, the matter to be reported back to Licensing Committee to formally consider the draft Policy and consultation responses  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.