Agenda item - Annual Report of Licensing Authority 2014

Report of the Director of Public Health (copy attached)

27.1    The Committee considered a report of the Director of Public Health setting out the licensing and gambling functions for Brighton & Hove Council carried out during 2014 and detailing national matters which had included legislative changes and consultation.

27.2    Tables included in the body of the report showed the numbers of applications and hearings over for the last three years including those granted, refused and withdrawn. The Licensing Authority had dealt with 10 reviews (including 2 gambling premises for failed test purchases) and there had been a number of challenging reviews. Details were also set out detailing the types and numbers of gambling licences issued.

27.3    With the agreement of the Chair, Inspector Katy Woolford gave a power point presentation (slides circulated to Members) detailing the potential benefits for the city which could result from a Late Night Levy. Officers  had monitored progress in Newcastle and other licensing districts where a levy had been brought into force and in addition had recently  paid a fact finding mission to Newcastle. The Police supported the levy as a funding stream of assistance in countering rising incidence of sexual assault crime and could be used to fund taxi marshall and similar schemes.

27.4      Whilst thanking the Inspector Woolford for her presentation Councillors Lepper and Simson stated that the Committee was unable to give support for this concept in the absence of a detailed and balanced officer report on this subject. There were reasons for and against adopting a late night levy. A number of authorities had not adopted this approach and some who had had subsequently abandoned it. In the past for various reasons the Committee had resisted this. Other Committee Members were in agreement. Members considered that whilst there were benefits in reducing late night alcohol availability, there were also risks to the local economy, there could be a perceived unfairness in that all late night premises paid for the impact caused by a few. A Late Night Levy was not ruled out but Members needed to be given the opportunity to give this matter full and proper consideration.

27.5    Members requested that officers prepare a report for consideration by the new Committee post May 2015, once newly appointed Members had had the opportunity to be fully trained. It was considered that two cycles would probably be appropriate.

27.6    RESOLVED - (1) That the Committee note the contents of the report; and

            (2) That officers should continue to monitor trends of applications and illegal activity to inform future policy.