Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Castle House, Great North Road, Newark, Notts. NG24 1BY

Contact: Helen Brandham  Email: helen.brandham@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

31.

Declarations of Interests from Members and Officers

Minutes:

NOTED       that no Member or Officer declared any interest pursuant to any statutory requirement in any matter discussed or voted upon at the meeting.

32.

Declaration of Any Intention to Record Meeting

Minutes:

NOTED       that an audio recording was to be made of the meeting by the Council.

33.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 15 November 2018 pdf icon PDF 233 KB

Minutes:

AGREED      (unanimously) that the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

34.

Review of Pavement Licences in Newark pdf icon PDF 240 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment in relation to outlining an approach to the regularisation of pavement licenses in Newark Town Centre. 

 

It was reported that concern had been expressed about the number of premises that were using outdoor seating areas, many of which appeared to be uncontrolled.  Applications for a licence to trade on pavements (when it forms part of the highway) are issued under Section 115E of the Highways Act 1980 by Nottinghamshire County Council as the Highways Authority.  It was noted that the Committee had limited control over the pavement café licensing regime and it was therefore proposed that a Working Group be established to examine the extent of the problem and to develop an approach that imposes sufficient controls without detriment to the vitality of the town centre.  The suggested membership of the group was: Chairman of the Licensing Committee; Representative of Via; Newark Town Council; County Councillor; and District Council Officer(s).  The findings of the Working Group would report back to the Licensing Committee by September 2019.

 

The Business Manager advised that Newark Town Council were keen to progress the matter.  In response to whether the area outside the Waterside Public House would be covered the Business Manager advised that it was not the Council’s land and therefore would not be covered.  However, the area the Premises Licence covered could be considered.

 

In welcoming the report a Member stated that it was important that the correct balance be struck between the economy and the safety of pedestrians.  The Business Manager advised that one of the Council’s newly adopted objectives was the management of the town centre. 

 

In agreeing that the report was to be welcomed a Member stated the issues that were caused by advertising hoardings that were chained to lamp posts and that often pedestrians had to step on to the road to walk around them. 

 

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

 

(a)     the Pavement Café Licensing Working Group be established to examine the issues in Newark Town Centre and develop an approach that supports the objectives of the Licensing Act whilst supporting town centre vitality; and

 

(b)     the Working Group reports back to the Licensing Committee in September 2019.

35.

A Strategy for the Night Time Economy pdf icon PDF 240 KB

Minutes:

The Committee consider the report of the Director – Communities & Environment in relation to the development of a Strategy for the Night Time Economy (NTE) to improve the town’s early and late evening economy.  The report set out the type of business that would be included in the Strategy whilst acknowledging that the list was not exclusive.  It was noted that the Council’s Licensing Policy was important to the NTE but was geared towards the four licensing objectives and did not take account of the wider cultural and economic issues.  The recent Business Unit restructure had resulted in the creation of a Town Centre Development Manager who would take the lead in creating a new vision and plan of improvements for Newark Town Centre.

 

In considering the report a Member noted that the development of the Strategy had also been presented to the Economic Development Committee querying how a town gained a purple flag accreditation.  The Business Manager – Environment & Licensing advised that Newark was not large enough to meet the necessary criteria for gaining the status.  A Member suggested that the town centre would also benefit from a day time strategy. 

 

Members agreed that the purchase of the Buttermarket would be a key driver in boosting the economy but that ultimately, the market would determine whether an area was successful or not.  Members discussed the issues surrounding online advertising and the detrimental effect this had on the physical business premise.  Members agreed that it was the merchants themselves that were responsible for deciding what type of goods they chose to sell. 

 

The Business Manager advised that it was hoped that the Strategy would bring about a whole offer for the town that would attract both young and more mature visitors and that potentially this could also spread to the daytime economy.

 

AGREED      (unanimously) that the update of the Night Time Economy Strategy for Newark and the approach set out that would see the Town Centre Development Manager taking a lead on the initiative be noted. 

36.

Examination of the Measures of Harm and Burden Associated with Alcohol pdf icon PDF 241 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment in relation to the work undertaken in conjunction with the Nottinghamshire County Council’s Public Health Team in examining the measures of harm and burden associated with alcohol.  

 

It was reported that the primary aim of the work was to illustrate variation at sub-district level in measures associated with alcohol and to identify areas where the combined measures were the greatest.  

 

In considering the report Members agreed that the information contained in the report and reflected in the attached appendices was of great interest.

 

AGREED      (unanimously) that the report be noted.

37.

Licensing Committee - Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 237 KB

Minutes:

AGREED      (unanimously) that the Licensing Committee’s Forward Plan for 1 March 2019 to 29 February 2020 be noted.

38.

Update on Quarterly Performance and Enforcement Matters pdf icon PDF 290 KB

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment in relation to the activity and performance of the Licensing Team between 1 October and 31 December 2018. 

 

In considering the report Members queried and noted the action taken for some of the specific enforcement activity listed in Paragraph 2.3 of the report. 

 

AGREED      (unanimously) that the report be noted.

39.

Temporary Event Notices Received and Acknowledged between 1 October and 31 December 2018 pdf icon PDF 242 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment in relation to Temporary Event Notices received between 1 October and 31 December 2018.

 

AGREED      (unanimously) that the report be noted.

40.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

To consider resolving that, under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 7 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Minutes:

That, under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 7 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

None