Agenda and draft minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2023 were confirmed and signed.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interests as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests were made at the meeting.

Representatives of town or parish councils and members of the public who live, work, or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area are welcome to submit either 1 question or 1 statement for each meeting.  You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via MS Teams to read out your question and to receive the response.   If you submit a statement for the committee this will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes for the formal record but will not be read out at the meeting.

The first 8 questions and the first 8 statements received from members of the public or organisations for each meeting will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline set out below.  

For further information read Public Participation - Dorset Council

All submissions must be emailed in full to elaine.tibble@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 8.30am on Thursday 23^rd November 2023

When submitting your question or statement please note that:

When submitting your question or statement please note that:

· You can submit 1 question or 1 statement.

· A question may include a short pre-amble to set the context.

· It must be a single question and any sub-divided questions will not be permitted.

· Each question will consist of no more than 450 words, and you will be given up to 3 minutes to present your question.

· When submitting a question please indicate who the question is for (e.g., the name of the committee or Portfolio Holder)

· Include your name, address, and contact details.  Only your name will be published but we may need your other details to contact you about your question or statement in advance of the meeting.

· Questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda.

· All questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting. 

There were no questions or statements from the public.

The Council, as Licensing Authority under the Gambling Act 2005, is required to publish a Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy at least every three years. The purpose of the policy statement is to define how the Council will exercise its responsibilities under the Act. The revised policy has been published, in draft format, for a period of public consultation and the Committee is requested to review the responses received during the consultation and consider the proposed amendments to the policy.

The Service Manager Licensing & Community Safety introduced the report and advised that Dorset Council, as Licensing Authority under the Gambling Act 2005, was required to publish a Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy at least every three years. The revised policy had been published in draft format, for a period of public consultation and the Committee was requested to review the responses received during the consultation and consider the proposed amendments to the policy.

There were just minor amendments to the policy, the Service Manager Licensing & Community Safety advised that due to the deadline dates for the implementation of the policy, officers had not been able to do a 12 week consultation but it had been full and proper and considered the views of a wide range of people and organisations, he highlighted the proposed changes to the committee members, in particular at 13.27 of the policy to address proposed measures for protecting and supporting vulnerable people within the regulatory remit of the Licensing Policy.

In response to one of the consultation comments, the Service Manager Licensing & Community Safety addressed the matter of Gambling Support Services and the revised figures recently published by the Gambling Commission which were higher than first estimated.  He sought to liaise with Dorset Health colleagues to look at what support was available for Gambling Addictions and to ensure that it was adequate and in the right places.

In response to member questions the Service Manager Licensing & Community Safety advised that there were a number of bodies part financed by the gambling industry and there had been some in roads, but gambling was still a big problem, he was keen to look at what was being done locally and look at what further resources and improvements could be implemented.

Proposed by Cllr Andrews, seconded by Cllr Heatley

Decision:

1)    That the responses received during the consultation period had been reviewed and

2)    The proposed amendments to the draft Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy considered.

3)    That the Licensing Committee recommends that Full Council adopts the draft Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy.

The Council, as Licensing Authority under the Licensing Act 2003, is required to publish a Statement of Licensing Policy at least every five years. The purpose of the policy statement is to define how the Council will exercise its responsibilities under the Act. The Statutory Guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 advises however that any Cumulative Impact Area(s) contained within the policy are reviewed, as a minimum every three years.  The Statement of Licensing Policy contains one Cumulative Impact Area in Weymouth Town Centre.

Officers have conducted a public consultation regarding the retention of the Cumulative Impact Area, with the results of the consultation being attached as part of this report for consideration by the Licensing Committee and a recommendation made to Full Council. Officers have also reviewed the evidence base for the Weymouth Cumulative Impact Area and a report is attached for consideration by the Committee. The report formed part of the public consultation.

The Service Manager Licensing & Community Safety presented the report and explained that the policy used to be reviewed every three years but following a relaxation of the rules was now reviewed every five years.

However, the Statutory Guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 advised that any Cumulative Impact Area(s) (CIA) contained within the policy were reviewed, as a minimum every three years. 

CIAs were designated to cover particular areas of stress amounting from a proliferation of licensed premises.  The Statement of Licensing Policy contained one CIA in Weymouth Town Centre.  There was a rebuttable presumption that any new applications, or applications to substantially alter existing permissions, would be refused unless the applicant could demonstrate to the Authority that the proposals would not add to the existing problems in the area.

Licensed premises had suffered since Covid and large numbers were closing in England and Wales. and officers had been having a bit of a re-think.  A four-week consultation had revealed that 80% of respondents were in favour of retaining the CIA and some suggested expansion to other areas. 

The Service Manager Licensing & Community Safety proposed a full review of the CIA to determine if it was working, did it restrict growth, should it be expanded etc.  Alcohol disorder had fallen and if Dorset Council wanted to attract investment to the town then a full review was recommended to obtain statistics and further evidence.   Weymouth was a safe place to go out at night time and a number of measures were already in place to support the night time economy.

There was a worrying trend of premises closing and in response to member questions the Service Manager Licensing & Community Safety re-iterated that there were a large number of good and robust licenced premises and he wanted to bring Weymouth back to it’s heyday and encourage investment to the night time economy.  There had not been many refusals for new applications as the CIA did deter new investment.

Councillor Jon Orrell, the Ward Member addressed the committee in support of keeping the CIA in place.  He mentioned the evolution of drinking culture which had become more family friendly in recent years.

Proposed by Cllr Andrews, seconded by Cllr Heatley

Decision:

1.    The responses received during the consultation period were reviewed and

2.    the review of the Cumulative Impact Area contained within the Statement of Licensing Policy was considered.

3.    To make recommendations to Full Council in relation to the Cumulative Impact Area contained within the Statement of Licensing Policy.

4.    That a  further report into the long term effects of retaining the Cumulative Impact Area be commissioned as part of the next policy review.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.  

There are no exempt items scheduled for this meeting.  

There was no exempt business.