Agenda and minutes

The Committee is asked to elect a Vice-Chair for the 2019/20 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 2019/20 municipal year.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Angela Mason, Jonathan Simpson and Peter Taheri.

No declarations were made.

There were no deputations.

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

There were no announcements.

There were no such notifications.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th April 2019.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 17^thApril 2019.

RESOLVED –

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

Report of the Director of Place Management

This report sets out the details of the revised Sex Establishments Policy and asks that members approve the revised Policy for Council consideration.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Place Management.

Members discussed the welfare of performers and in what ways the new policy would ensure dancer and customer safety. They considered it important to use very clear language in the policy about this.

Consideration was given to the consultation responses that the Council had received, Members noted that the majority wanted there to be zero sexual entertainment venues (SEV) in the Borough and questioned why this had not been factored in to the policy. They considered that including a rebuttable presumption to refuse the renewal of SEV licences for existing premises would allow for the greater regulation of venues.

Concerns were raised by the Committee regarding the lack of clarity around booths and the rules around what was allowed. They considered that allowing booths in any form would greatly increase the risk of behaviour that could breach the principles behind the policy.

In his introduction of the report, the Head of Public Protection spoke Members through the main changes and developments from the old policy and the reasoning behind them.

To Member questions, the Head of Public Protection gave the following key responses:

·       Regarding ongoing investigations into allegations of a venue breaching their licence, it was decided to not take any regulatory action until the conclusion of the investigations. This would allow Members and Responsible Authorities to take any findings into consideration when sexual entertainment venues (SEV) licences came up for renewal on 31^st October 2019.

·       It would be difficult to impose a blanket ban on SEVs as each refusal would be legally challengeable. Instead, the aim of the policy was to create a robust process within the legislative framework.

·       Clarity was given to page 70, paragraph 14. This was a street trading definition of touting and referred to on street activity. The Head of Public Protection agreed that the wording of this paragraph should be worked on to specify what constituted touting.

·       Member suggestions to strengthen the section on customer safety, particularly around customers who had drunk too much was noted and would be taken on board.

·       Regarding a suggestion that Camden included the option for dancers to join a trade union in the conditions for SEVs, it had been decided that the policy would maintain the current licensing objectives and not stray too far into worker rights. Details of an intention to create a Dancer Support Group was also given to Members.

·       It was part of the business model of SEVs to offer private dances to customers. Regarding the 1 metre high booths, a balance needed to be reached to allow separate spaces for private dances without creating enclosed spaces.

RESOLVED –

i)                 THAT the consultation responses to the proposed revised Sex Establishments Policy be noted.

ii)        THAT the Sex Establishments Policy be agreed subject to the following amendments:

1.   Rewording of the section Touting for Business to specify and provide greater clarity on what constitutes touting.

2.   Subject to further legal advice,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Report of the Director of Place Management

This report sets out the proposed revised Tables and Chairs Licensing Process and Policy for public consultation.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Place Management.

In response to questions from Members, the Head of Public Protection gave the following information:

·       The regulation of a-boards was handled by the Street Trading Team and would not appear in the policy.

·       In paragraph 3.4, the figure of 1.8 metres free access for pedestrians was higher than that of other Boroughs.

·       Applicants were required to include any obstruction, for example street furniture, in the drawings they submitted as part of their application. Deviation from this would result in enforcement action.

·       Footfall of a street was just one of the factors considered when deciding applications.

·       With the permission of the Committee, the Head of Public Protection wanted to extend benchmarking discussions with other London authorities. 

·       Changing the procedure from issuing individual letters for each application to the premises displaying a renewal notice would free up more back office resources.

• The Head of Public Protection acknowledged Member suggestions to prohibit patio heaters that had a negative impact on the environment. He also agreed to clarify and strengthen the wording in the section about a-boards before the report is brought back to the committee. 

ACTION BY: Head of Public Protection

RESOLVED –

i)                 THAT the proposed Tables and Chairs Licensing policy and procedure as outlined in the report be agreed to go out to public consultation, and;

ii)               THAT it be noted that a further report will be submitted to the Licensing Committee in order to provide feedback on the consultation exercise and any further amendments to the proposed policy and procedures, prior to the final policy and procedures being submitted to Council for approval.

Report of the Director of Place Management

This report proposes an approach to the development of a policy statement or strategy around supporting the evening and night time economy (ENTE) in Camden, delivering on the commitments of Camden 2025 and Our Camden Plan.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Place Management.

In his introduction of the report, the Head of Public Protection gave the following information:

·       Camden had one of the largest night time economies in the country.

·       There had been a loss of venues across London for protected groups.

·       It was important to create a balance between the night time economy and concern of some citizens.

·       There was discussion about whether to create a Camden specific Night Time Economy Charter, allowing for the protection and enhancement of that which makes Camden unique.

It was noted by Members that the night time economy was much broader than just the aspects that were in the Licensing Committee’s remit.

In regard to Appendix 1, a Member suggested that Officers look at the model for Japanese convenience stores which offered a wide range of products, allowing for night time economies on a neighbourhood level.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report and comments of the Committee be noted.

There was no such business.