Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the meeting and the Chairman to present and explain the procedure for the meeting.

Proposed by Cllr Derek Beer, seconded by Cllr Brian Heatley

Decision: that Cllr Les Fry be elected as chairman for the duration of the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Mike Dyer and Andrew Starr, substituted by Cllrs Derek Beer and Brian Heatley.

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.

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.

An application has been made for a new premises licence for 26 St Thomas Street, Weymouth.  The application has been out to public consultation and has attracted relevant representations.  A Licensing Sub Committee must consider the application and representations at a public hearing.

 The Licensing Team Leader introduced the report and outlined the updated section 182 guidance, revised times and amended conditions requested from Environmental Health and the Police.

The applicant informed the sub-committee that Number 26 will be a daytime café which will offer bottled beer only inside and no glass ware or alcohol outside the premise. Number 27 will be a café in the daytime and in the evening a late-night café where people can have something to eat and a quiet drink. There will be bistro evenings a couple nights a week, with fresh sea food using local produce and no children allowed after 7 pm. The applicant is a licensee of Hardy’s Hophouse with 10 years’ experience and there had never been any noise complaints.

She addressed the noise concerns by informing the sub-committee that only background music would be played through one small speaker at a low level. The premises will be a quiet place for a drink, the sound will not exceed 50 decibels and will not be a night club. There will be signs warning people to respect neighbours and no disposing of glass bottles will be permitted after 9pm. The applicant conveyed that she had been getting quotes for sound proofing, will ask customers to leave if they are too noisy and there will be a premises dispersal plan for busier nights.

Cllr Wakeling represented Weymouth Town Council objected on the grounds of the cumulative impact policy and noise nuisance. He was pleased to see the changes that had been made to the application such as, CCTV, challenge 25, and reduction in opening hours. He added that the premises will close at midnight which is when a lot of other premises in the area close and this will impact upon Weymouth Town Centre putting pressure on taxis, food, or people moving to other venues.  He requested that the sub-committee consider conditions around noise. 

The Licensing Team leader advised the sub-committee that if they were minded to impose conditions relating to noise, any noise level condition should state where the maximum level should be measured and a time limit for installing a noise meter should be included.

All parties were given the opportunity to sum up their case. 

The decision was made that agenda items 5 and 6 would be heard simultaneously due to being similar applications for neighbouring premises; one was described as a daytime café and the other as daytime and evening café.

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 x 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.

Proposed by Cllr Brian Heatley, seconded by Cllr Derek Beer.

Decision

That the press and the public be excluded for the following item(s) 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).

Decision: To GRANT a Premises Licence with amended hours, together with the usual mandatory conditions, the conditions consistent with the Operating Schedule and the conditions agreed between the applicant, Dorset Police and Environmental Health.