Agenda item - Review of Statement of Licensing Policy 2021 - Draft Policy report pre-consultation

Report of the Interim Executive Director, Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities (copy attached)

*Please note: That due to their size and the amount of colour diagrams included in the text the “Council’s Public Health Intelligence Team Submission” (included at Appendix A) has been attached separately as Addenda.

          RESOLVED – That officers be authorised to initiate consultation regarding a review of the Statement of Licensing Policy, including the following proposals to consult on (more detail and background on these proposals is contained in section 3 of the report):

(1)      Maintain the current cumulative impact policy and zone as explained in the draft CIA to follow;

(2)      Expand the Special Stress Area (SSA) to cover Preston Road and Beaconsfield Road (up to Stanford Avenue);

(3)      Consider including the Marina into “Other areas” of the Matrix to reflect the increased number of residential properties;

(4)      To amend the “Café” category of the Matrix by reducing the terminal time for the sale of alcohol from midnight to or 11pm subject to consultation within the SSA and “other areas”, in line with the cumulative impact zone;

(5)      Shopping parades - Amend note 8 of the Matrix to “In an area where there are already several existing off-licences or where the premises is situated within a parade with another off licence and where representations are received about negative cumulative impact on the licensing objectives of a further premises, the application may be refused on these grounds or restrictions placed on the terminal hourto reflect opening hours of other shops in the parade;”

(6)      Alcohol in shared workspaces - Amend note 10 of the Matrix to clarify that “non-alcohol led category does not include “alcohol in shared workplaces”. These type of premises are considered separately. It is recommended that sale of alcohol in shared workspaces should have a terminal hour of no later than10pm. For further advice and guidance on “alcohol in shared workplaces” please see paragraphs 3.3.5-3.3.7 (see Appendix C);

(7)      Shadow Licences – add a new section to revised policy with advice, guidance and possible conditions. Please see section 3.10 in Appendix C.

(8)      Alcohol Delivery – amend the Off Licence section 3.5.5-3.5.8 of the revised policy with suggested conditions in Appendix C; and

(9)      Update out of date/irrelevant data, legislation and text, update night time economy safeguarding initiatives (see section 3.4 of the revised Statement of Licensing Policy contained in Appendix D).

7.1      The Committee considered a report of the Acting Executive Director of Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities setting out the proposed pre-consultation on the revised Review of the Statement of Licensing Policy 2021 for their approval.

7.2      it was explained that the Council as Licensing Authority had a statutory duty to review and publish its Statement of Licensing Policy (SoLP) every five years. The current policy had been adopted on 24 March 2016 by Full Council and was subsequently revised in March 2019. The Policy should be kept under review and it was timely to do so now.

7.3      Councillor stated that he could not support the recommendations as in his view tradition modes of working were changing of with the increasing use of home working and shared space working which would undoubtedly continue post the current pandemic. Therefore, such working arrangements were not unique were likely to continue to grow and therefore needed to be given serious consideration and to be factored into any policy changes going forward.

7.4      Following discussion the following amendments were made to the recommendations set out. These were agreed and were voted on as the substantive recommendations. These were voted on and were agreed on a vote of 11, with one against and 2 abstentions.

7.5      RESOLVED – That officers be authorised to initiate consultation regarding a review of the Statement of Licensing Policy, including the following proposals to consult on (more detail and background on these proposals is contained in section 3 of the report):

(1)      Maintain the current cumulative impact policy and zone as explained in the draft CIA to follow;

(2)      Expand the Special Stress Area (SSA) to cover Preston Road and Beaconsfield Road (up to Stanford Avenue);

(3)      Consider including the Marina into “Other areas” of the Matrix to reflect the increased number of residential properties;

(4)      To amend the “Café” category of the Matrix by reducing the terminal time for the sale of alcohol from midnight to or 11pm subject to consultation within the SSA and “other areas”, in line with the cumulative impact zone;

(5)      Shopping parades - Amend note 8 of the Matrix to “In an area where there are already several existing off-licences or where the premises is situated within a parade with another off licence and where representations are received about negative cumulative impact on the licensing objectives of a further premises, the application may be refused on these grounds or restrictions placed on the terminal hourto reflect opening hours of other shops in the parade;”

(6)      Alcohol in shared workspaces - Amend note 10 of the Matrix to clarify that “non-alcohol led category does not include “alcohol in shared workplaces”. These type of premises are considered separately. It is recommended that sale of alcohol in shared workspaces should have a terminal hour of no later than10pm. For further advice and guidance on “alcohol in shared workplaces” please see paragraphs 3.3.5-3.3.7 (see Appendix C);

(7)      Shadow Licences – add a new section to revised policy with advice, guidance and possible conditions. Please see section 3.10 in Appendix C.

(8)      Alcohol Delivery – amend the Off Licence section 3.5.5-3.5.8 of the revised policy with suggested conditions in Appendix C; and

(9)      Update out of date/irrelevant data, legislation and text, update night time economy safeguarding initiatives (see section 3.4 of the revised Statement of Licensing Policy contained in Appendix D).