Agenda item

To consider, amend as required and agree the Committee’s Forward Plan.

The Senior Licensing Officer took members through the Committee’s Forward Plan, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The following updates were provided:

• The Review of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver, Vehicle and Operator Policies would be brought to Licensing Committee on 12 December 2024. Several workshops had taken place, with one last workshop scheduled to consider the final draft policy.
• The Review of Scrap Metal Policy had been postponed until the December meeting. There was no legal requirement for a Scrap Metal Policy, however, it was good practice to have one in place.
• The Pleasure Boats and Boatpersons Licensing Policy consultation had been postponed until 2025 out of respect for the recent one-year anniversary of the Bournemouth Beach Tragedy.

The Clerk referred to the training sessions listed and confirmed that all training sessions had taken place as planned. Members were asked to contact the Clerk if they had any further training requirements.

The Committee revisited the process for formulating a Sex Establishment Venue (SEV) Policy, should the Council decide to have one. 

It was noted that the Licensing Manager had prepared a briefing paper on SEVs, which covered the legislative background and the effect of the Council having a SEV policy or not. The briefing paper would form a starting point for a discussion between the Licensing Manager, Chair and Vice Chair, as agreed at the last meeting of the Licensing Committee on 15 May 2024. It was highlighted that this meeting had not yet taken place as the Committee had been without a Vice-Chair since its last meeting.

The Legal Adviser explained that there was no legal requirement for the Council to have a SEV policy in place and that officer time and budget was a factor for consideration. It was likely that a barrister would need to be appointed by the Council to seek external advice due to the Council’s last SEV policy being successfully challenged in the High Court.

The Chair proposed that he and the Vice-Chair meet with the Licensing Manager to consider the briefing paper and that the paper then be shared via email to all members of the Licensing Committee. An informal training session could then be arranged before December 2024 for Licensing Committee members to discuss the briefing paper, which could be opened to all councillors. The Chair requested that this then be an item for consideration at the next meeting, which was on 12 December 2024. The Vice-Chair seconded the Chair’s proposal.

RESOLVED that

(I)                  The Chair and Vice-Chair meet with the Licensing Manager to discuss the briefing paper on SEV policy,

(II)                The briefing paper to be emailed to all members of the Licensing Committee,

(III)               An informal training session be arranged before December 2024 for all members of the Licensing Committee to discuss SEV policy, with an invite extended to all Councillors; and

The Forward Plan be updated to include a formal report on SEV policy at the 12 December 2024 meeting.