Issue - items at meetings - night time economy

5.1       The Head of Environmental Health and Licensing introduced the report; all appendices were in the Members’ rooms. He said the service was proud to achieve Beacon Status for managing the night time economy and were developing further; for example by entering into a national learning exchange held in York.

5.2       Members congratulated the Head of Environmental Health and Licensing and the Team, noting especially that noise complaints from licensed premises had declined and that Brighton & Hove was the only city outside London to operate a commercially viable night time bus service.

5.3             Mr Matthews of the Licensing Strategy Group outlined the consultations for instance, on limiting numbers of people gathering outside licensed premises.

5.4       The Chairman asked if, because of the low cost of alcohol in supermarkets and off licences, alcohol-related incidents were being displaced from pubs and clubs to homes. The Head of Environmental Health and Licensing said that the licensing strategy group had information that people were tending to stay at home and drink more. Domestic violence was often alcohol-related and alcohol was a very common factor in noise nuisance.

5.5       Existing controls were being applied effectively; these allowed for both a light touch and more serious powers with police back-up where necessary. Future licensing legislation was expected to take health impacts more into consideration.

5.6       Chief Inspector Mills said that police and trading standards officers were testing licensed premises for sales to underage people and where there were failures, awareness raising was done on site. Operation Park was part of a national programme dealing positively on younger people and alcohol focussing at known hotspots during the summer and at weekends.

5.7       Answering a question about the number of applications for new licenses the Head of Environmental Health and Licensing said this was continuing to increase. There had been 84 new applications in 2008 and this was part of a similar trend since 1980.

5.8       Police representatives were asked about zero tolerance to minor offences. Police Sergeant Wauchope summarised the approach used – from ‘tone setting’ in the early evening, wearing high visibility clothes and giving advice, to dispersing groups and arresting and dealing in custody with major offenders. Where possible there was intervention at an early stage and it was important for residents to give early information to the police.

5.9       The Committee discussed with Mr Gilada of the Taxi Forum/Sudanese Taxi Forum and Mr Matthews, the distribution of taxis at night and the role of marshals, formerly employed at taxi ranks to help arrange large taxi queues and assist disabled users. The Head of Environmental Health and Licensing referred to the potential for CCTV cameras in taxis as used in some other cities, for driver safety and as a community safety measure.

5.10    Committee noted that nationally Brighton & Hove was in the worst quintile for alcohol-related harm and that the east of the city was not as well served.for night time buses as elsewhere.

5.11         The Chairman thanked all the contributors to the discussion.

5.12 RESOLVED – that the officers and Council’s partners be thanked for their work in achieving Beacon Status.