Issue - items at meetings - Draft Statement of Licensing Policy

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Customer, Community and Regulatory.

Decision

(a) That the draft Licensing Policy 2021-2026 (as set out at appendix A to the report) be published for a period of public consultation of not less than 12 weeks.

(b) That the proposed Cumulative Impact Area, as detailed in Appendix A of the Draft Licensing Policy, be published alongside the Cumulative Impact Assessment and Violent Crime Analysis from Dorset Police as part of the public consultation.

(c) That, subject to there being no relevant representations, the Service Manager for Licensing & Community Safety in consultation with the Chairman of the Licensing Committee recommends to the Council the adoption of the Draft Licensing Policy.

(d) Should relevant representations be received, which require consideration of one or more significant amendments to the policy, Officers be instructed to bring a further report to the meeting of the Licensing Committee with the outcomes of the consultation.

Reason for Recommendations

To comply with legislative requirements,

To ensure openness and transparency in the Council’s decision making, and To ensure that those persons affected by the policy are given the opportunity to have an input into it.

In presenting the report the Portfolio Holder for Customer, Community and Regulatory introduced John Newcombe, the new Service Manager Licensing & Community Safety.

Members were advised that the Council was required to publish a Statement of licensing policy at least every five years and the purpose of the policy statement was to define how the Council would exercise its responsibilities under the Licensing Act 2003. This was Dorset Council’s first statement of Licensing Policy issued under the Act and prior to this formation of Dorset Council, each of the predecessor District and Borough Councils had their own Statement of Licensing Policy.

The Licensing Committee had considered the draft policy at an informal virtual meeting and it had also been shared with all councillors at a recent members briefing. Following a period of consultation, should responses to the consultation be received, officers would recommend appropriate amendments to the draft policy or give reasons why suggested alterations are not made. The outcome of the consultation would be considered by the Scrutiny Committee followed by consideration of the Licensing committee who would recommend its adoption by Full Council.

The Vice-Chairman of the Licensing Committee confirmed that the committee had met virtually to consider the policy and recommended it to go out to public consultation.

In respect of the policy document the following comments were also made;- expression of importance of a Cumulative Impact Area in the Weymouth area and that there was an argument that there should be a late night levy introduced by the Council.

The Chairman advised that these matters would be reflected upon as part of the consultation process.