To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 18 November 2014, and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2014 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report attached.

At its meeting on 18 November 2014, the Committee was informed that the Statement of Licensing Policy was reviewed every five years and a new one would need to be in place by January 2016

The current Statement of Licensing Policy had been reviewed and rewritten to include good practice, current guidance, experience from implementing the Act, input from a joint Topic Group of members of the Licensing Committee and Towns and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Sub Committee and the Havering Licensing Strategy 2014.

The report noted that in exercising their functions under the Licensing Act 2003, the Licensing Authority must have regard to the following four licensing objectives:

•           Prevention of crime and disorder

•           Public safety

•           Prevention of public nuisance

•           Protection of children from harm

The report informed that the Council must consult on the draft policy before the final version was approved by Full Council. Section 5 of the Act 2005 sets out the statutory consultees. It was proposed that the consultation be aimed at a wider audience including not only all responsible authorities and current licensees and their representative bodies but also members of the public who could comment through local libraries and the internet. It was proposed that there be a three month consultation period starting on the 1 June 2015 and finishing on the 31 August 2015.

The report recommended that the Committee agree that the draft Statement of Licensing Policy set out in Annexe A be subject to public consultation.

The Chairman commended members of Joint Topic Group for the work undertaken with officers.

The Chairman expressed her appreciation to the Public Protection, Licensing and Health and Safety Divisional Manager for supporting to the Topic Group.

In response to a member enquiry, the Committee was advised that the consultation would be carried out on-line but if hard-copy papers were requested, then they would be made available.

RESOLVED:

The Committee agreed that the draft Statement of Licensing Policy be subjected to public consultation.

The Committee received an update on recent changes to Legislation affecting Licensing that came in to effect from April 2015:

That Committee was informed that Live Music & Recorded Music no longer required a licence, if it took place between 08:00 and 23:00 hours at a premises which had a Premises Licence for “on supply of alcohol”, and the audience was no more than 500 people.

The Committee noted that Live Music no longer required a licence, if it was amplified live music at a workplace provided the audience was no more than 500 people between08:00 and 23:00 hours.

The Licensing Specialist informed the Committee that Exempt Premises no longer required a licence if music was incidental – music that is incidental to other activities that was not classed as regulated entertainment, between 08:00 and 23:00 00 hours in the following venues:

•       Places of public worship, village halls, church halls, & other similar buildings

•       Schools

•       Hospitals

•       Local authority premises

A licence was no longer required for Plays or a Performance of Dance if the event took place between 08:00 and 23:00 hours and the audience was no more than 500 people.

The Committee was informed that a licence was no longer required for an Indoor Sporting Event that took place between 08:00 and 23:00 00 hours with an audience that was no more than 1000 people.

The Committee noted a Personal License that permitted a person to sell alcohol or to authorise another person to sell alcohol that used to be valid for 10 years now no longer expired except with the persons death, Surrender or Revocation.

With effect of January 2016, Temporary Event Notices (TENs), a premises would be allowed 15 Temporary Event Notices per year (currently a premises was permitted 12).

A premises would still only have 21 days of Temporary Event Notices per year.

A Licence or Temporary Event Notice was still required for following:

•         The supply of alcohol by retail

•         Boxing, Wrestling and Mixed Martial Arts

•         Films or Exhibit Moving Pictures – in public or in private if charged for entry with intention to make profit – includes making money for charity

Whilst an exemption to films licence was applicable to the following venues:

•         Places of public worship, village halls, church halls, & other similar buildings

•         Education

•         Incidental film – incidental to other activities that aren’t classed as regulated entertainment.

•         Television broadcasts

The Committee noted the presentation.