Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations made at the meeting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Licensing Committee Meeting held on 20 June, 2019, be approved as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Members considered a report that provided information on the Statement of Licensing Policy 2021 which advised that this was due for its quinquennial review.

The policy requires reviewing every five years, and if agreed by the Committee, would be subject to public consultation prior to adoption by Full Council later on in 2020 prior to coming into effect in January 2021. The Statement of Licensing Policy would set out the basis for how all the relevant licensing decisions would be made by the authority for the next five years.

AS part of this review, Members were also requested to look at the Cumulative Impact Areas in terms of their relevance at this point. There was the requirement to review every three years and ensure that their existence was evidenced and justified. Currently the three Cumulative Impact Areas in effect were as detailed below: -

Area 1 – Doncaster Town Centre which details the following: -

·         Bradford Row

·         Cleveland Street

·         Hall Gate

·         Market Place

·         Priory Walk

·         Silver Street

Area 2 – Part of Town Ward encompassing the following streets:-

·         Broxholme Lane

·         Christ Church Road

·         Copley Road

·         Highfield Road

·         Nether Hall Road

Area 3 – Bawtry Town Centre including the following areas:-

·         Church Street

·         Grasswood Lane / Dower House Square

·         High Street

·         Market Place

·         Scot Lane

·         Swan Street

·         Wharf Street

Members had a brief discussion regarding the issues and any queries they had were answered by officers. The Committee commented that in particular, the Bawtry Cumulative Impact Area was one that needed reviewing as had not been evidenced when initially proposed by Bawtry Town Council for a provisional timescale.

Members were happy with the report and thanked Officers for the information provided and endorsed the report in its current form in order for Officers to commence the review.

            RESOLVED that:-

1)    The Committee note the proposed statement of Licenisng 2021 – Licensing Act 2003 with a view to the Licensing Officer commencing the review and adoption process; and

2)    The Committee note the requirement to review the Cumulative Impact Areas with a view to the Licensing Officer commencing the review and presenting the results to the Committee to determine if there remains to be a Cumulative Impact of Licensed Premises in those areas.

The Trading Standards Manager, Dave McMurdo gave a verbal report with regard to the ongoing situation surrounding the Corona Virus and the challenges it was presenting as the Covid-19 Pandemic swept the World. Obviously numerous obstacles were being faced, and more specifically for Licensing, there was the issue of Licensing Premises Applications. Legally, there was still a requirement to ensure hearings were held within certain timescales and therefore numerous options had been explored to investigate how they could facilitate this.

Delegations were in place for a number of functions, but with regard to those applications requiring a hearing, they had to be undertaken by the Sub-Committee. However, it had been proposed that these be undertaken at arm’s length by utilising the technology available to them and by undertaking by video or teleconferencing call, or a combination of the two, which would ensure the statutory requirements were met, but that the social distancing measures in place as a result of Covid-19 were upheld. Officers advised that they would inform Members of further plans once they had looked into these further.

Members acknowledged that they would have to move forward with this but requested adequate training was given, with ‘practice’ runs carried out in order to ensure they were confident un the undertaking of their roles on the Licensing Committee.

RESOLVED that the verbal report provided by the Trading Standards Manager be noted, and Members agree to holding Licensing Sub-Committee Meetings by other methods as deemed fit to accommodate the issues faced as a result of Covid-19.