Agenda and minutes

Licensing Committee - Wednesday, 7th April, 2021 10.00 am

Venue: VIRTUAL - Live on the Council's YouTube channel: Hillingdon London. View directions

Contact: Mark Braddock - Democratic Services  Email:  mbraddock@hillingdon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

3.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Nick Denys and Councillor John Oswell.

4.

Declarations of Interest in matters coming before this meeting

Minutes:

No interests were declared by Members present.

 

5.

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 14 October 2020 pdf icon PDF 151 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 October 2020 were agreed as a correct record.

 

6.

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2021 pdf icon PDF 82 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2021 were agreed as a correct record.

 

7.

To confirm that the items of business marked Part 1 will be considered in public and any items of business marked Part 2 in private

Minutes:

It was confirmed items marked public and items marked private would be considered as set out on the agenda.

 

8.

Review of Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing Protocols & Application Procedure pdf icon PDF 79 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Service Manager, Licensing, Trading Standards and Regulatory Services presented a report to the Committee which outlined internal changes that had been implemented within the Licensing Team to capture a number of positive changes previously raised by Members at their meeting in October 2020. This included liaison with the Police on any incident / CAD numbers and the quality of any video/photo evidence submitted by parties.

 

Consequently, two minor changes to the Hearing Protocols were also proposed. The first would provide for a licensing policy advisor to attend, when required, to give advice in relation to the Council's relevant policy on the matter.  The second change provided for structured site visits by Members with officers for more complex cases upon publication of the notice of hearing.

 

During the discussion, Members raised:

 

·         Improvements to the notification process and use of notice boards in relation to applications so that residents are well informed. Officers explained that they provide the statutory notices that are required.

·         How to encourage residents to report items of concern to the Police in relation to licensed premises and what more can we do for user-friendly guidance to residents and potential interested parties who may wish to submit formal representations.

·         The usefulness of a potential site visit after a hearing had commenced was suggested by Members and it was requested that officers amend the proposed change to the Protocols accordingly.

RESOLVED:

 

That the Committee:

 

1.    Review and adopt the proposed two additions to the hearing protocols as set out in the report and as amended at the meeting in relation to site visits and;

2.    Note the updates to the Officer’s application procedure and report information.

 

9.

Legislative & COVID Regulations Update pdf icon PDF 87 KB

Minutes:

Councillors received a report on recent decisions made by licensing sub-committees nationally where breaches of the Coronavirus legislation by proprietors had taken place. Members also discussed an important recent local decision at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court concerning The Office Public House, Northolt within the London Borough of Ealing.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Committee notes the report.

10.

COVID Enforcement Update

Officer will give a presentation to Members on recent and current enforcement activties in relation to licensed premises and COVID-19.

Minutes:

The Committee received a closed presentation from the Licensing Team Manager on recent licensed premises enforcement activities in Hillingdon under the Coronavirus regulations.

 

Members viewed video footage of the visits undertaken to premises and were briefed on the latest planned enforcement and police actions to protect the public from venues operating illegally and in non-compliance with national guidance. Members thanked officers for their significant work during the pandemic keeping the Borough safe.

 

This item was considered in Part II as it contained information relating to an individual, information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual and information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. That the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraphs 1, 2 & 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government [Access to Information] Act 1985 as amended).

 

11.

Ratification of past Sub-Committee minutes

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members were updated on recent Licensing Sub-Committee decisions since the last meeting and ratified the minutes of the recent sub-committees hearing.

 

RESOLVED:That the Committee, with the agreement of any Members present at the following Sub-Committees that they are a correct record, ratify the minutes of the following meetings:

 

·         10am, 11 September 2020 (adjourned)

·         9:30am, 30 September 2020 (resumed hearing)

·         10am, 16 November 2020

·         10am, 23 November 2020 – Part 1 and Part 2 minutes

·         10am, 18 December 2020 (adjourned) – Part 1 and Part 2 minutes

·         2:30pm, 9 February 2021

·         10am, 10 February 2021 – Part 1 and Part 2 minutes

·         2pm, 10 February 2021

·         10am, 15 February 2021

·         10am, 16 March 2021

·         2pm, 16 March 2021 (resumed hearing) – Part 1 and Part 2 minutes

 

This item was considered in Part II as it contained information relating to an individual, information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual and information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. That the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraphs 1, 2 & 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government [Access to Information] Act 1985 as amended).

 

12.

Any items that the Chairman agrees as urgent or relevant

Minutes:

No further items were considered.

 

The meeting closed at 11.39pm.

 

 

The public part of this virtual meeting was broadcast live on the Council’s YouTube channel hereunder The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility ofLocal Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) (Regulations)2020. These are the official minutes of the above meeting.