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.

The Chairman advised that the proceedings were being recorded by the Council and that the meeting was being livestreamed and broadcast from the Civic Suite, Castle House.

AGREED      that the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2022 were a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

NOTED       the Licensing Committee’s Forward Plan from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023.

The Committee considered the report of the Business Manager – Public Protection which sought to inform Members of the Government’s response to the Home Affairs Select Committee report on drink spiking and also to identify any changes required to Newark & Sherwood District Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy. 

The report set out the definition of both drink and needle spiking and provided statistical information on the number of recorded crimes for drink spiking for 2019, noting that it was likely that it was an underreported crime.  It was reported that the Home Affairs Committee published report “Drink Spiking”, set out 12 recommendations with the report before Members, setting out the Government’s response to each of the 12 recommendations.

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

(a)          the Home Affairs Select Committee’s recommendations and the Government’s response be noted;

(b)          the inclusion of spiking, sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the Statement of Licensing Policy at its next review be supported; and

(c)          the work taking place with the Police and licensed trade to address drink spiking and violence against women and girls be supported.

The Committee considered the report of the Business Manager – Public Protection which sought Members’ approval for the use of a reviewed set of potential conditions that could be used when licence conditions were required to be attached to a licence. 

The report set out that the conditions had been drafted by the Nottinghamshire Authorities Licensing Group and had been designed to provide a consistency of approach across the county as well as providing a framework for Officers and Members when considering the addition of conditions to a licence.  The pool of conditions had been revised following changes in guidance, experience from licensing hearings and a general need for them to be reviewed.  Paragraph 1.4 of the report detailed the series of considerations which must be taken into account before attaching any condition to a licence.  It was noted that the pool of potential conditions had only undergone minor amendment. 

In presenting the report, the Business Manager – Public Protection advised of a further amendment to the pool of potential conditions.  He sought approval for a Condition 17a to be added as follows: Vertical drinking shall only be permitted in the area identified by the red line on the plan submitted with the application and a maximum number of XXX shall be permitted to be drinking in this area at any time whilst not seated.  A Member queried whether its inclusion would have an impact on outside entertainment, for example at a festival type event.  In response, the Business Manager advised that such a condition would only be imposed on a premise where there was a known issue with crime and disorder and its imposition was considered necessary.

AGREED      (unanimously) that Version 4 of the Pool of Potential Conditions, subject to the inclusion of the additional condition in relation to vertical drinking as referred to above, be adopted.

The Committee considered the report of the Business Manager – Public Protection which sought to provide Members with feedback from the Night-Time Economy visits made by Members of the Licensing Committee on Friday, 14 October 2022.

The report set out that the Members had been able to speak to the Managers of a number of premises and sought their views on a wide spectrum of subjects.  These had included: use of drugs in licensed premises; parking charges imposed in the town; visibility of the Police; availability of taxis in the town; and events and the promotion of events held in the town.  It was noted that none of the licensees spoken with had suggested that the Council’s approach to licensing was not appropriate for the town. 

AGREED      (unanimously) that the report be noted.

The Committee considered the report of the Senior Licensing Officer in relation to Temporary Event Notices (TENs)received between 1 July and 30 September 2022.  The appendix to the report listed all the TENs received.

AGREED      (unanimously) that the report be noted.

The Committee considered the report of the Senior Licensing Officer in relation to the activity and performance of the Licensing Team between 1 July and 30 September 2022.

AGREED      (unanimously) that the report be noted.