Agenda item

To consider a report by the Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration which requests the Committee to review the cumulative impact assessment areas (CIP) for the city centre.

(Report attached)

The Head of Elections, Licensing and Registration submitted a report which requested the Committee to review the annual Cumulative Impact Assessment for the city centre.

Appended to the report were copies of the following appendices:

·  West Yorkshire Police crime statistics for the preceding twelve month period (Appendix 1 referred)

·  Cumulative Impact Assessment – (Appendix 2 referred)

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

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

·  The requirement of licensing authorities to prepare and publish a statement of licensing policy every 5 years

·  The current policy was adopted as part of the Licensing Act 2003 Statement of Licensing Policy 2014 to 2018 in December 2013 and updated in June 2016 to introduce a CIP for Armley

·  The policy specifies that the city centre CIP evidence and map would be reviewed each year based on the most recent crime and disorder statistics supplied by West Yorkshire Police. This review would be detailed in the Cumulative impact Assessment for the city centre, which provides guidance for business making application in the city centre

·  West Yorkshire Police crime statistics for the preceding 12 months demonstrated that violent crime and theft had increased significantly in the red areas of the city centre and continued to be problematic.

·  The conclusion of the crime statistic report that the increase in theft and violent crime in the two red areas was concerning

·  The review showed that there should be no change to the current CIP areas, due to the increase in crime, and that further work with businesses and partners would be undertaken to reduce crime in these red areas

In the discussion that ensued Members expressed concern and disappointment at the increase in violent crime and theft, suggesting that more police resources required deploying in the problem areas.

In responding Sergeant Shaw from West Yorkshire Police said there was an intention to provide more resources to the city centre for weekend nights to address the increase in violent crime in the red areas. It was also understood that more police were being recruited and would be deployed once they had been fully trained.

It was suggested that a policy was required for tackling night time crime in the city centre.

Members were supportive of the proposal.

It was also suggested that a letter be sent to the West Yorkshire Police Crime Commissioner expressing this Committees concern and disappointment at the increase in violent crime at night in the city centre and, whilst acknowledging the good work being done by the police officers on duty, requesting that further police resources be deployed to the area to address the issue.

Again, Members were supportive of the suggestion.

RESOLVED –

(i)  To approve the cumulative impact assessment for the city centre effective from 1^st January 2017

(ii)  That a strategy be developed for tackling night time crime in the city centre and that outline proposals be submitted to the Licensing Committee in March 2017

(iii)  That a letter be sent to the West Yorkshire Police Crime Commissioner on behalf of this Committee, expressing this Committees concern and disappointment at the increase in violent crime at night in the city centre and, whilst acknowledging the good work being done by the police officers on duty, requesting that further police resources be deployed to the area to address the issue.