Agenda and minutes

Licensing Committee - Tuesday, 15th December, 2015 10.00 am

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds

Contact: Governance Services  2243836

Items
No. Item

64.

Chair's Opening Remarks

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.

65.

Appeals Against Refusal of Inspection of Documents

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)

 

Minutes:

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

66.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

 

2  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

 

3  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

 

  RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of those parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information

 

Minutes:

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.

67.

Late Items

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration

 

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes)

 

Minutes:

There were no late items submitted

68.

Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

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.

 

Minutes:

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

69.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence (If any)

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

70.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 84 KB

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

 

(Copy attached)

Minutes:

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

71.

Matters Arising from the Minutes

To consider matters arising from the minutes (If any)

Minutes:

There were no issues raised under matters arising.

72.

Review of the City Centre CIP Areas pdf icon PDF 102 KB

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)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

73.

Cumulative Impact Policy for Armley pdf icon PDF 108 KB

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)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

74.

Licensing Committee Work Programme 2015/16 pdf icon PDF 65 KB

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

 

(Copy attached)

Minutes:

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 31st July to 31 December 2015, scheduled to come to the next meeting on 9th 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

75.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

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

Minutes:

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