Issue - meetings

Corporate

To consider approval of the Council’s Statement of Licensing Principles as required by the Gambling Act 2005.

Recommended to Council:

1.  That the revised Statement of Licensing Principles attached as annexed to the report be recommended for approval.

2.  That the Statement as annexed to the report, be effective for a three-year period commencing 31 January 2022 subject to it being kept under review and Council making any changes at such times as it considers appropriate.

Consideration was given to a report of the Corporate Portfolio Holder which set out a revised Statement of Licensing Principles.

Section 349 of the Gambling Act 2005 requires the Council to publish a Statement of Principles (or Policy) setting out the matters to be considered by the Council when determining applications for licences and permits issued under the Act. The current Statement was published in January 2019 and the Act requires that the Council review the Statement every three years.

Consequently, a draft revised Statement was recommended for adoption following a consultation exercise which commenced in July whereby the existing Statement was distributed to several organisations including those representing existing licence holders. In addition, a copy was either supplied or made available to all members and a number of officers within the Council. Consultees had until 9 September 2021 to respond and no comments were received.

Having considered the options and for the reasons set out in the report, Cabinet agreed the following:

Recommended to Council:

1.  That the revised Statement of Licensing Principles attached as annexed to the report be recommended for approval.

2.  That the Statement as annexed to the report, be effective for a three-year period commencing 31 January 2022 subject to it being kept under review and Council making any changes at such times as it considers appropriate.