Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J Bagwell, B Dunlop and B Dove.

To receive information on any changes in the membership of the Committee.

Note – When a member of a Committee is unable to attend a meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee, the relevant Political Group Leader (or their nominated representative) may, by notice to the Monitoring Officer (or their nominated representative) prior to the meeting, appoint a substitute member from within the same Political Group. The contact details on the front of this agenda should be used for notifications.

No substitute members had been appointed for this meeting.

Councillors are required to comply with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and the Council's Code of Conduct regarding Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.

Councillors are also required to disclose any other interests where a Councillor is a member of an external body or organisation where that membership involves a position of control or significant influence, including bodies to which the Council has made the appointment in line with the Council's Code of Conduct.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 25 September 2019 and the Minutes of the Licensing Sub-Committees held on 1^st October 2019, 15 October 2019, 29 October 2019 and 12 November 2019.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Licensing Committee on 25 September 2019 and the Licensing Sub-Committees on 1^st October 2019, 15 October 2019, 29 October 2019 and 12 November 2019, be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment to the Licensing Committee on 25 September 2019:

• List of attendees to be corrected to show that one member of the public was present.

Voting: Unanimous

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link:-

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/documents/s2305/Public%20Items%20-%20Meeting%20Procedure%20Rules.pdf 

The deadline for the submission of public questions is 11 December 2019

The deadline for the submission of a statement is 12.00 noon, 17 December 2019.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 12.00 noon, 17 December 2019.

There were no public questions, statements or petitions received for this meeting.

The Licensing Committee members are asked to agree the draft Statement of Licensing Policy for BCP Council ready for public consultation.

The Committee considered a report requesting members to agree the draft Statement of Licensing Policy for BCP Council ready for public consultation.

The Committee was advised that the Licensing Authority was required to consider and review the Statement of Licensing Policy every five years. With the formation of the new BCP Council on 1^st April 2019 there was a need to create a new Statement of Licensing Policy which covered the entire new council area and that reflected the needs of the Authority.

The Licensing Manger explained that the draft Statement of Licensing Policy was distributed to all members of the Licensing Committee following the ‘Review of the draft Statement of Licensing Policy’ session which took place on 19^th November 2019.

If Committee members were happy with the document, it would go out to public consultation before being brought back to the Committee for consideration. The document would then be presented to full Council for approval.

The Committee then reviewed the draft document on a section by section basis, and all amendments were made in real time by the Licensing Manager.

The Committee was advised that the entire document would be formatted and standardised prior to it being sent out for public consultation.

RESOLVED that the draft Statement of Licensing Policy, as amended by the Licensing Committee, be sent out for public consultation for a period of 12 weeks from 1^st January 2020.

Voting - Unanimous

To consider a proposed protocol for Licensing Committee and Sub Committee site visits. The protocol sets out the purpose of a site visit, the process for requesting and agreeing a site visit, and the procedures to be following in conducting a site visit.

The Committee considered a report in respect of a proposed protocol for Licensing Committee and Sub-Committee site visits. The protocol set out the purpose of a site visit, the process for requesting and agreeing a site visit and the procedures to be followed in conducting a site visit.

It was highlighted that although site visits were rare, a protocol was required to ensure that appropriate arrangements were in place to conduct a site visit in a fair and open manner should the need arise.

The Committee reviewed the protocol, as previously circulated, and it was commended. There were no further comments or amendments to the protocol.

RESOLVED that

(a)  The Licensing Committee adopt the Site Visit Protocol as proposed; and

A review of the Site Visit Protocol be undertaken in not less than six months time and reported to the Licensing Committee to consider any changed deemed necessary.