Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence given at this meeting.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Committee held on 28 January 2020 and any meetings of the Licensing Panel that have taken place since the last meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Committee meeting held on 28 January 2020 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing Panel hearing held on 18 February 2020 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing Panel hearing held on 27 August 2020 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing Panel hearing held on 15 September 2020 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Councillor T Davies joined the meeting during this item.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

To receive any declarations of interest from members in accordance with Standing Orders and the Council’s Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest made at this meeting.

To receive any deputations of which notice has been lodged.

There were no deputations made at this meeting.

To receive a verbal update from the Head of Democratic Services in respect of the 2018 Parliamentary Boundary Review.

The Head of Democratic Services provided the Committee with a verbal update on the 2018 Parliamentary Review.

Members were advised that in March 2020 the Government announced that it would not implement the net reduction in the number of seats in the House of Commons from 650 to 600 and instead would introduce a Bill to amend the Rules of Redistribution.   The Parliamentary Constituencies Bill 2019-21 was introduced on 19 May 2020, had its Third Reading in the House of Commons on 14 July 2020 and had its second sitting in the House of Lords on 10 September.  If the Bill is passed, the key changes will be as follows:

·         The number of MPs will be fixed at 650 and the 2018 Review will not be implemented.

·         The next review, due to start in 2021, will have to be completed by the Boundary Commissions by 01 July 2023. It will be based on the number of registered electorates as of 01 March 2020;

·         The next review after the 2023 Review will have to be completed by 01 October 2031; with subsequent reviews required to report by the 01 October every eight years thereafter;

·         Recommendations of the Boundary Commissions will be no longer require Parliamentary approval and government ministers will have no power to alter recommendations;

·         The public consultation phase will be amended to allow for public hearings later in the consultation process.

·         The Boundary Commissions will be given more flexibility to use local government and ward boundaries that have yet to come into force.

·         A new protected island seat in Wales to cover Ynys Môn will be added.

Members were also advised that, following the Second Reading debate, the Government issued a written ministerial statement which addressed the concerns about the quality of the data of the 2023 Review if it was to be based on the electoral registers of the 01 December 2020.  The written statement allows more time for Electoral Registration Officers to conduct this year’s annual canvas in Great Britain. As a result, the Government would introduce an amendment during the committee stages of the Bill to require the 2023 Review to be based on the electoral registers as they stood at 01 March 2020.

Members discussed the expected increase in demand for postal votes as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic and received assurances from the Head of Democratic Services that the Elections team is well placed to deal with the increase in demand and that all requests for postal votes will be met.

RESOLVED that the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Committee notes the content of the verbal update.

To consider a report by the Head of Environmental Health which presents the Draft revised Licensing Policy for Members’ consideration prior to the commencement of the statutory consultation period.

The Committee received a report by the Head of Environmental Health that asks Members to consider and approve the draft revised Licencing Policy for consultation.

Members discussed the revised arrangements that have had to be implemented to deal with Licensing matters during the Covid-19 pandemic and agreed that a paragraph should be added to the draft policy to explain that in the event of any future need to invoke emergency procedures that affect licensing arrangements, these will be communicated to relevant parties.

It was noted that the amendment made at paragraph 4.3 of the draft policy in respect of the operating schedule/licensing application should be clarified and standardised across the rest of the policy.

Members felt that the example provided at paragraph 4.25 of the draft policy in respect of late temporary event notices was slightly confusing.  It was agreed that this needs to be amended to provide greater clarity but does still need to contain an example scenario to help avoid late requests being received.

Concern was raised that at paragraph 5.3 of the draft policy, the expectation that a Designated Premises Supervisor be present at the licensed premises on a ‘regular’ basis could be considered to be ambiguous.  It was agreed that this would be investigated to see whether it was possible to clarify expectations.

In respect of paragraph 5.15 of the draft Policy, Members enquired whether consideration has been given to making changes to the licensing arrangements for external areas in order to help businesses to increase the capacity of their premises by utilising outside space to help reduce the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.  The Head of Environmental Health agreed this was an option worth pursuing and undertook to ensure that feedback is obtained during the consultation process to determine whether this would be beneficial to businesses. 

RESOLVED that the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Committee agrees that:

(a)  subject to the additions and amendments outlined above, the draft revised Licensing Policy, as attached at Appendix A to the report, be approved for consultation;

(b)  the consultation exercise will commence at this meeting and continue for a period of 12 weeks;

(c)  a further report on the draft revised Licensing Policy, which details outcomes from the consultation process, be presented to the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Committee at its meeting in January 2021 for further consideration prior to referral to the Executive for comment; and

(d)  the final draft revised Licensing Policy then be recommended to Council for adoption at the meeting scheduled to take place in February 2021.

To receive a report by the Head of Environmental Health which provides an update on the impact to the Service as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic.

The Committee considered a report by the Head of Environmental Health which provides members with an update on the impact to the Service as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

RESOLVED that the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Committee notes the content of the report and in particular, the financial effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

To consider a report by the Head of Environmental Health on the Committee’s Work Programme for the remainder of the Municipal year.

Members considered a report by the Head of Environmental Health which provides details of the Committee’s Work Programme since the start of the 2019/20 municipal year.

The Head of Environmental Health provided a verbal update on the appeal submitted by Ranchos Steakhouse against the Council’s decision to refuse their application for a premises licence. Following a change in ownership of the business and the submission of a revised application, which was not contested by the police, the premises licence has now been granted.  As a result, the appeal will not now take place. 

Members discussed the lack of business scheduled for the meeting in November and agreed that, unless additional business comes forward, the meeting will be cancelled.

RESOLVED that the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Committee:

(a)  notes the progress on actions arising from the meeting of the Committee held on 28 January 2020, attached as Appendix A to the report;

(b)  reviewed the Work Programme for 2019/20, attached as Appendix B to the report;

(c)  agrees that, subject to approval by full Council, the date of the January committee meeting be changed to 14 January 2021, and

(d)  agrees the Work Programme for the remainder of the current municipal year, as attached as Appendix C of the report.