Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the final meeting of the Licensing Committee in 2015.

The Chair also introduced and welcomed Gill Hunter, Area Community Safety Co-ordinator who would address Members on the Cumulative Impact Policy for Armley.

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded)

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

There were no appeals against the refusal of inspection of documents.

There were no items identified where it was considered necessary to exclude the press or public from the meeting due to the confidential nature of the business to be considered.

There were no late items submitted

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests made at the meeting.

To receive apologies for absence (If any)

There were no apologies for absence.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 17^th November 2015

(Copy attached)

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 17^th November 2015 were approved as a true and correct record.

To consider matters arising from the minutes (If any)

There were no issues raised under matters arising.

To consider a report by the Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration which seeks the views of Members on the annual review of the city centre CIP areas.

(Report attached)

The Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration submitted a report which sought the views of Members in relation to the Annual Review of the City Centre CIP areas.

Appended to the report were the following appendices:

·  West Yorkshire Police – Leeds City Centre: Night time Economy Related Crime - Statistics for the preceding 12 month period (Appendix 1 referred)

·  CIP New Guidance (Appendix 2 referred)

The Principal Licensing Officer, Entertainment Licensing presented the report and responded to Members questions and queries.

Detailed discussion ensued on the contents of the report which included:

·  The suggested amendments to the proposed cumulative impact policy areas for the City Centre

·  The revised map of the City Centre

·  Clarification around how incidents of crime were reported

·  Reductions in Police and Local Authority funding

·  Examples of good practice /initiatives implemented in other core cities

·  Sufficient resources within the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Section to undertake enforcement operations

·  The need for responsible authorities to comment on applications in CIP areas

·  That the issue of a night time levy for the city centre be re-visited

Responding to Members concerns as to how incidents of crime were reported.

Officers referred Members to page 27 of the submitted report “Police reporting” which suggested that changes in crime recording practices had resulted in an increase in the number of recorded crimes. However, changes in crime levels, along with a number of other measures, concluded that a proportion of these recent increases were related to administrative change rather than an increase in criminality. It was suggested that the statistics be refreshed in 6 months to determine if there was a true increase in crime.

Commenting on taxi and private hire enforcement operations, the Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration reported that 7 Enforcement Officers together with a Supervising Officer were in post currently undergoing training. Training would be finalised in January 2016 at which point all those staff would be fully operational. There was also recruitment underway in relation to a vacant enforcement officer.

Referring to the reductions in Police and Local Authority funding a number of Members expressed the view that it was now appropriate to revisit the issue of a night time levy

RESOLVED –

(i)  To welcome and support the suggested amendments to the proposed cumulative impact policy areas for the City Centre

(ii)  To endorse the new cumulative impact evidence for the City Centre and the revised map of the City Centre

(iii)  That an update report on the Business Improvement District (BID)and the night time economy be prepared and brought back to this Committee in March 2016

To consider a report by the Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration which seeks the views of Members as to whether a cumulative impact policy would be appropriate for Armley, in view of the increase in disorder being experienced in the area.

(Report attached)

The Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration submitted a report which sought the views of Members as to whether a cumulative impact policy would be appropriate for Armley, in view of the increase in disorder being experienced in the area.

Appended to the report were the following appendices:

·  Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team – Anti – social Behaviour in Armley - Incidents for the preceding 12 month period (Appendix 1 referred)

The Principal Licensing Officer, Entertainment Licensing together with the Area Committee Safety Co-ordinator presented the report and responded to Members questions and queries.

Detailed discussion ensued on the contents of the report which included:

·  Anti – social Behaviour around Armley Town Street, many types of alcohol related problems

·  Large number of off licence premises in the Town Street, Branch Road areas

·  A culture of street drinking

·  Incidents captured on CCTV footage

In offering comment Members suggested that the views of Ward Members/ Community Committee should be included within any cumulative impact policy for Armley

In responding officers confirmed that the views of Ward Members/ Community Committee would be included as part of the public consultation exercise.

A Committee Member with close links to the Armley area said that local residents, particularly the elderly, were frightened to go to Armley Town Street because of the problems of anti-social behaviour.

It was the view of the Committee that more evidence be gathered to support the preparation of a cumulative impact policy for Armley

RESOLVED -

(i)  To agree that it was appropriate to consider a cumulative impact policy for Armley Town Street and the neighbouring area

(ii)  To request that officers undertake further work in researching the evidence and designing a cumulative impact policy

(iii)  To approve that a public consultation be undertaken in relation to the proposed cumulative impact policy

(iv)  That following the expiry of the public consultation period and subject to the preparation of a draft cumulative impact policy for Armley, a further report seeking determination of the CIP be brought back to this Committee

To note the contents of the Licensing Committee Work Programme for 2015/16

(Copy attached)

Members considered the contents of the Licensing Committee Work Programme for 2015/16.

Referring to the report entitled Activity Update – Taxi and Private Hire Licensing 31^st July to 31 December 2015, scheduled to come to the next meeting on 9^th February 2016. Members requested if the report could also include up to date information on enforcement resources and also to include statistics on plying for hire covering a 12 month period.

Members requested that reports in relation to the Night time Economy and an update on Legal Highs’ be added to the meeting to be held in March 2016

RESOLVED – That with the inclusion of the suggested amendments/ additions the contents of the Licensing Committee Work Programme for 2015/16 be noted

To note that the next meeting will take place on Tuesday 9^th February 2016 at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

RESOLVED – To note that the next meeting will take place on Tuesday, 9^th February 2016 at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds.