Agenda and minutes

To agree the procedures for the operation of hybrid meetings.

RESOLVED –

THAT the guidance on hybrid meetings be agreed.

The Committee is asked to elect a Vice-Chair for the 2021/22 municipal year.

Councillor Meric Apak was proposed and seconded as a candidate for Vice-Chair of the Committee. There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED –

THAT Councillor Meric Apak be elected Vice-Chair of the Licensing Committee for the 2021/22 municipal year.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cassarani, Lewis, Mason, Olszewski, Simon and Taheri.

Members will be asked to declare any pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on this agenda.

No such declarations were made.

Webcasting of the Meeting

The Chair to announce the following: “In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record and film public meetings, I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for six months after the meeting.  After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available on DVD upon request.

If you are seated in the chamber it is likely that the Council’s cameras will capture your image and you are deemed to be consenting to being filmed and to the use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes.  If you are addressing the Committee your contribution will be recorded and broadcast unless you have already indicated that you do not wish this to happen.

If you wish to avoid appearing on the Council’s webcast you should move to one of the galleries.”

Any Other Announcements

Webcasting

The Chair announced that the meeting was being broadcast live to the internet and would be capable of repeated viewing and copies of the recording could be made available to those that requested them.  Those seated in the Chamber were deemed to be consenting to being filmed.  Anyone wishing to avoid appearing on the webcast should move to one of the galleries.

The Committee is asked to note the Terms of Reference for the Licensing Committee.

RESOLVED –

THAT the Licensing Committee Terms of Reference be noted.

A deputation was heard from David Kaner, representing the Covent Garden Community Association. 

Mr Kaner explained that as licensed businesses started to reopen following lockdown, issues that could accompany licensable activities   had started to return. As such, the Covent Garden Community Association was supportive of the proposal that the Council made only minor amendments to the Statement of Licensing Policy and then carried out a full review over the course of 18 months and felt such a review should include the Cumulative Impact Areas.

Mr Kaner also requested that that the example conditions also be reviewed. Whilst these conditions were included in the current policy, Mr Kaner felt they were seldom used by applicants in their operating schedules and, going forward, should be front and centre of the policy.

The Committee were requested, by Mr Kaner, to take his points into consideration both when they discussed the Licensing Policy and when the review was undertaken.

The Chair thanked Mr Kaner for his deputation and advised that the Committee would give it consideration when discussing the Licensing Policy.  

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 29 October 2019.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 29 October 2019.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes be approved and signed as a correct record.

There were no such notifications.

Report of the Director of Economy, Regeneration and Investment.

This report provides on overview of the Licensing related activity delivered throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The report provides information on current licensing trends and outlines the approach taken by the Council to adopt the Pavement Licence provisions outlined within the Business & Planning Act 2020.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Economy, Regeneration and Investment.

The Head of Community Safety and Public Protection introduced the report and thanked the Chair and Committee Members for their guidance and support over the course of the pandemic.

In response to questions from Members, the Head of Community Safety & Public Protection stated: -

• A formal decision would be made on the Sex Establishments Policy at the meeting of the Committee scheduled to take place in October. If the new policy incorporated the three amendments as agreed by the Committee on 29 October 2019, it would require a public consultation to be undertaken. Legal advice had been sought concerning the amendments.
• Any advice or information received would be shared with Committee Members if this was permissible. 
• The additional costs associated with reopening venues, especially music venues, were acknowledged but the Government position on testing and vaccine certification was uncertain . Therefore, regular written updates on new developments in this area would be provided to Members.
• Attempts had been made by the Licensing Service to widen the scope of public areas that could be used for licensable activity; however, legislation only allowed for areas that were immediately outside venue frontages to be used. Alternative avenues would be explored, such as pavement and street trading legislation.
• With regard to streateries, it was noted that this this scheme fell under street trading, rather than pavement licensing, therefore there was not usually a consultation period required. However, to ensure there was resident input in the creation of the streateries, consultations had been carried out. Whilst there had been a degree of polarisation regarding the Belsize location, most residents, especially those in the immediate area, had been positive about the scheme.
• Street dining had been viewed by residents and business as positive, and businesses had demonstrated they could manage these areas responsibly. However, if Camden wanted to keep street dining and incorporate it into policy, further work would be required.  It was understood that residents and communities had been very accommodating due to the pandemic. However, if it was to be made a permanent feature, they may take a different view and want stricter rules to be in place.
• The Government had extended the Business and Planning Act 2020 for a further year, and as such, supporting businesses during this period would be the immediate focus. However, in the future this area could be explored on a more long-term basis and a paper could be drafted for a future meeting of the Committee that would provide Members with further detail on pavement and street licences.

Members expressed concern about the length of time that had elapsed since the decision was made on the Sex Establishments Policy at the meeting of the committee in October 2019 and were frustrated the lack of action since and hoped that a resolution would be imminent. Members were keen to progress this area of work.

The Chair expressed gratitude to the Licensing Officers for the work  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Report of the Director of Economy, Regeneration and Investment.

This report sets out the purpose of Camden’s Statement of Licensing Policy (the Policy) in line with the Licensing Act 2003. The report also makes a number of recommendations with regard to amendments to the existing Policy.

The report presents a draft Interim Statement of Licensing Policy 2022-2027 (at Appendix 1) and asks Licensing Committee Members to determine whether the draft policy should be the subject of the required 12-week public consultation.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Economy, Regeneration and Investment.

The Head of Community Safety and Public Protection introduced the report.

In response to questions from the Committee, officers made the following remarks: -

• The Licensing Team would explore ways to engage with women’s groups and would seek to invite their views during the consultation period to bring forward women’s issues.
• Although it was very important to take wider safety issues into consideration, there may be a limit to what action could be taken under the Licensing Act, as it might not be possible to expect businesses to take responsibility for safety issues once patrons had left the premises. However, a forum such as the Community Safety Partnership may be more appropriate to undertake this area of work.

• Regarding e-commerce and the sale of alcohol, discussions would take place with Legal Services to ascertain the options that were available, bearing in mind that there were restrictions within the Licencing Act 2003 on what action could be taken. Therefore, applications would be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but discussions would continue, and it was hoped there would be more certainty in the future.
• Premises Licences were issued in perpetuity,.  Premises Licences could be suspended if annual payment was defaulted on. Over the course of the pandemic, however, no licence had been suspended for non-payment of fees.

RESOLVED –

THAT the draft Statement of Licensing Policy 2022-2027 be approved for a twelve-week public consultation.

There was no such business.