Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED - That Councillor G Hussain be elected Chair for the duration of the hearing

Present at the hearing were:

  For Liberté

  Mr J Skeens – solicitor representing the applicant

Ms Manuela Bianca Haruta – Director of TRL Promotions Ltd and designated premises supervisor

  Ms Jodie Schulman – General Manager

  Mr Thomas Chiang – Member of Staff

  Mr Tom Ryan – Member of Staff

  Observers

  Mr P Whur

  Mr P Gourlay

  Mr Makrinakis

1)  To highlight reports or appendices which:

a)  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.

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

c)  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

2) To note that under the Licensing Procedure Rules, the press and the public will be excluded from that part of the hearing where Members will deliberate on each application as it is in the public interest to allow the Members to have a full and frank debate on the matter before them.

The Sub-Committee felt that the hearing should be held in the public domain and agreed that wherever possible, specific reference to the contents of the exempt information contained within Appendix B of the report should not be referred to, however, if it became necessary, the public and press would be excluded from the meeting as follows:

RESOLVED -  That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of that part of the agenda designated as 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 public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as contained in Appendix B of the report referred to in Minute No. 15  in terms of  the Licensing Procedure Rules, and on the grounds that it is not in the public interest to disclose the contents as the information therein pertains to individuals and those people would not reasonably expect their personal information or discussions thereon to be in the public domain.

No formal late items of business were added to the agenda for the meeting.  It was noted that Appendix H of the submitted report referred to the standard conditions of the previous Sexual Entertainment Venues Licensing Policy and for the avoidance of doubt, a replacement Appendix H which related to the Licensing of Sex Establishments Statement of Licensing Policy (“the Policy”) adopted on 1 September 2013 was circulated at the meeting

Members are reminded to disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests at the start of the hearing on each application 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

To consider a report of the Head of Licensing and Registration on an application made under Section 2 and Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 for the renewal of a Sex Establishment Licence for the premises known as Liberte, 10 York Place LS1

(report and appendices attached)

Please note that Appendix B of the report is regarded as exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (1,2 and 3)

At the conclusion of this hearing, the Sub Committee will adjourn for lunch before reconvening for the second application of the day

The Licensing Sub-Committee considered a report of the Head of Licensing and Registration on an application made under Section 2 and Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, as amended, for the renewal of a sex establishment licence. The application was made by TRL Promotions Limited, Suite 2 Chapel Allerton House, 114 Harrogate Road Leeds LS7 4NY, relating to the premises known as ‘Liberté’, 10 York Place LS1 2DS.  The basement and ground floor were to be covered under the provisions of the licence, with proposed hours of operation of 22:00 hours until 04:00 hours Sunday to Thursday and 22:00 hours until 05:00 hours Friday and Saturday.

The report on the application included the following documentation which Members considered during their deliberations:

·  Dancers Welfare Policy

·  Dancers Code of Conduct

·  Customers Code of Conduct

·  Fines Policy

·  Pricing Policy

·  Trade Union details

·  Appearance/advertising material

·  Site plan

Colour copies of the appearance/advertising material and a further

location plan showing the premises in relation to other sensitive uses as set out in the Policy were also provided.

Appendix B of the report was exempt from publication under Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (1, 2 and 3), however the Sub Committee resolved not to specifically discuss the exempt information to allow the hearing to be held in public.

The application had attracted a total of 25 objections and one letter of support.

Members noted that none of the objectors had attended the hearing and therefore resolved to consider the written objections contained within the documents before them and proceed in the absence of the objectors.

The Sub Committee said that the renewal application would be considered having regard to the revised Statement of Licensing Policy adopted by the  Council which came into force on 01 09 2013. The conditions within the revised Policy were contained in Appendix H. It was noted that the existing conditions for the current licence granted under the former policy were also included within the report.

At the outset it was clarified that one of the members of the Sub Committee had been on the working group of the Licensing Committee in relation to the new Policy.

The members confirmed that they all came to deal with this application with an open mind.

The Sub-Committee heard from Mr Skeens on behalf of the applicant who presented the application. Mr Skeens referred to further documentation which had been submitted in support of the application.

The Licensing Officer advised that although a report prepared by a Chartered Town Planner had been received within the timescale for receipt of additional information, a further submission on behalf of the applicant had been received outside of this timescale. Whilst the report of Murdoch Associates, Chartered Town Planners was circulated to Members for their consideration, the Sub-Committee requested a short adjournment of the hearing to enable them to discuss whether to accept the further written information which had been submitted to Licensing Officers by the applicant.

Following the adjournment the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.