Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Service Delivery (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Service Delivery that highlighted the need for Maldon District Council (the Council) as a Licensing Authority, under the Licensing Act 2003 (as amended) (the Act) to publish a Statement of Licensing Policy (the Policy). The report outlined the Council’s general approach to upholding licensing objectives when making decisions on applications under the Act. The Council’s existing policy was published in January 2019 with an intended operational lifespan of five years. Consequently, the Policy is now outdated and requires review and renewal.

The Chairperson introduced the report and then deferred to the Head of Environmental Health, Waste and Climate Action to present the detail. The Officer took the Committee through the report advising that the Policy outlined the Council’s approach to upholding the four key areas licensing objectives as outlined in paragraph 3.2 of the Officers report. It was noted that Officers had completed a comprehensive review of the existing policy and made a number of proposed changes ensuring that current best practice and updated statutory guidance had been taken into account, which could be found at Appendix A of the report.

In response to a query, the Head of Environmental Health, Waste and Climate Action clarified that if a Temporary Event Notification was submitted late and opposed by the Police or Environmental Health, there wouldn't be enough time for a hearing, resulting in the cancellation of the notification and the event itself.

The Chairperson then moved the recommendations as outlined in the Officer’s report. This was duly seconded and agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)         That the revised Statement of Licensing Policy (the Policy) as set out in Appendix A of the report as a ‘consultation draft’ be agreed;

(ii)        That Officers to commence consultation with the public and key stakeholders for a period of six weeks, as outlined in the report;

(iii)       That subject to only minor or inconsequential amendments / changes arising from comments or feedback received during the consultation process, the Head of Environmental Health, Waste and Climate Action in consultation with the Chairperson of the Licensing Committee, be authorised to make such changes to the Policy;

(iv)       That subject to (i) – (iii) above the revised Statement of Licensing Policy be presented to the Council for adoption.