Agenda and 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.

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

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

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment in relation to the work of the Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) in Ollerton, Boughton and Edwinstowe (OBE) and its possible expansion into Clipstone.  The report also sought a representative from the Committee on the Project Group. 

The report set out the aims of the CAP stating that its core activities included: education; enforcement; and business engagement.  It highlighted the specific work undertaken in OBE with the latest action plan being appended to the report.  The success of the CAP had been recognised locally which had prompted the request from the community of Clipstone to join the OBE Group.  It was also reported that there was potential for a CAP to be established in Newark with Members being requested to consider a specific potential area.

The Business Manager, in presenting the report, noted that the OBE CAP continued to succeed in its aims.  He also noted that when a new CAP was established it attracted initial funding in the region of £2k and it was therefore suggested that Clipstone establish their own partnership. 

The Business Manager updated the Committee on the possible establishment of a partnership in Newark.  Inspector Heather Sutton from Nottinghamshire Police had made enquiries as to whether this would be something the Council would wish to consider but it was noted that further work needed to be undertaken to establish the most appropriate area.  A Member queried whether the premises outside of Newark Town Centre would be included.  The Business Manager advised that work was most undertaken with off-licences to combat underage drinking but that some work was also done with public houses.

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

(a)     the establishment of an additional Community Alcohol Partnership to operate in the Clipstone area be supported;

(b)     Councillor Lee Brazier be the Committee’s representative to sit on the Ollerton, Boughton & Edwinstowe Community Alcohol Partnership and the Clipstone Community Alcohol Partnership Project Groups; and

(c)     the establishment of a Newark Community Alcohol Partnership be supported in principle.

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment which informed Members of the planned Licensing Act training scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 3 July 2019. 

The report provided information as to the location and times of the event and the topics to be covered.  Members were asked to indicate whether they would be able to attend.

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

(a)          the report be noted; and

(b)          the following Members confirmed their availability:

Attending

Councillor Lee Brazier

Councillor Irene Brown

Councillor Rita Crowe

Councillor Ronnie White

Not Attending

Councillor Kath Arnold

Councillor Roger Jackson

Councillor Sylvia Michael

Councillor Susan Saddington

Councillor Ivor Walker

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment in relation to the proposals for the 2019/2020 county wide Best Bar None Scheme. 

The report set out the background to the scheme highlighting that the rewards available to licensees who provided good management, a safe and enjoyable environment for customers, discouraging binge drinking and the prevention of alcohol related crime.  Paragraph 3 of the report provided information on the Scheme to-date with details of proposed future undertakings listed at paragraph 4.

The Chairman advised that the Scheme was to be launched locally through the Pub Watch Scheme, adding that the Pub Watch was growing in strength with the number of public houses attending increasing. 

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

(a)     the progress of the Nottinghamshire County Best Bar None Scheme be noted; and

(b)     support be given to the Scheme in 2019/2020.

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment which sought Members’ approval to undertake a consultation on the designation of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in Newark Town Centre to control drinking in the street and to remove controls in other areas of the district. 

The report set out the background to the introduction of the Orders in October 2014 under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Act 2014 and that all the current Designated Public Places Orders (DPPO) be replaced by the PSPOs.  It was reported that Newark & Sherwood currently had 14 DPPOs across the district relating to alcohol control.  The responses to the initial consultation carried out were highlighted in paragraph 4 of the report which noted that there was not widespread alcohol related anti-social behaviour across the district but that there were some localised ‘hot spot’ areas, predominantly in Newark Town Centre and that discussions had been held with the Police and Newark Town Council about this matter.  Details of the proposals were detailed in paragraph 5 of the report. 

In considering the report Members discussed the proposals contained within the report in relation to the possible area to be covered by a PSPO in Newark and whether the removal of the current DPPO in Sutton on Trent would result in drinking in public spaces becoming an issue.  In response, the Business Manager advised that the proposal to remove the DPPO in Sutton on Trent was following comment from the Police that they had no evidence of any nuisance in that area.  If the order was removed and incidents of nuisance occurred the parish council could apply to have a PSPO put in place but that any request to do so must be supported by evidence.

AGREED      (unanimously) that

(a)     the proposals listed in paragraphs 5.1 to 5.10 of the report be supported; and

(b)     a consultation period of 6 weeks be agreed.

AGREED      (unanimously) that the following items be added to the Licensing Committee Forward Plan:

(a)     Feedback from Licensing Training

(b)     Pavement Licences

(c)     Pubwatch Update

(d)     SchemeLink Update

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment in relation to the activity and performance of the Licensing Team between 1 January and 31 March 2019 inclusive together with details of current ongoing enforcement issues. 

AGREED      (unanimously) that the report be noted.

The Committee considered the report of the Director – Communities & Environment in relation to Temporary Event Notices received between 1 January and 31 March 2019. 

In response to a query raised at a Licensing Training Session held with Members of the Committee, the Business Manager – Public Protection advised that all applications for Temporary Event Notices were emailed to the relevant Ward Members for information.

AGREED      (unanimously) that the report be noted.