Agenda and minutes

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.

RESOLVED – That the report entitled “Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths” as referred to in Minute No. 30 be designated as exempt from publication under the provisions of the Access to Information Procedure Rules 10.4(1) Information relating to any individual,10.4(2) Information likely to reveal the identity of an individual and 10.4(7) Information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime and that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemptions outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Although there were no late items of business, the Chair did accept the inclusion and circulation of supplementary information in respect of Agenda Item No. 8 – “Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths”. Representation had been received from interested parties all of which was deemed as confidential (Minute No.30 referred)

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.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: P Drinkwater, A Hutchison, A Garthwaite and P Latty.

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 2^nd March 2021.

(Copy attached)

Members considered the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 2^nd March 2021.

RESOLVED –The Minutes of the previous meeting held on 2^nd March 2021, were accepted 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 Chief Officer Elections and Regulatory which provides detail of the Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths, received following the inquest into a fatality at the 2019 Leeds Festival.

(Report attached)

The Chief Officer Elections and Regulatory submitted a report which notified Members of the serving of a Regulation 28 Report on Leeds City Council, as the licensing authority for Leeds Festival, following the death of a teenager at the 2019 event.

Members noted that an Inquest was held at Wakefield Coroner’s Court, which concluded on the 13^thJanuary 2021. The Senior Coroner, after hearing the circumstances of the death had set out his concerns in a Regulation 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths.

Members were informed that a working group has been established to consider the contents of the report. The Working Group included Members of the Licensing Committee with contributions from representatives of Leeds Safety Advisory Group, Safer Leeds, West Yorkshire Police, Health & Safety, Public Health, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Childrens & Families, Legal Services and Entertainment Licensing.

It was reported the first meeting of the Working Group took place on the 9th February 2021 when it was agreed to ask the Senior Coroner for an extension to the original deadline of the 12th March 2021, to allow for further information to be gathered and presented, including from the organisers of the event.

Officers reported that it had subsequently been confirmed that an extension for the response to be provided had been granted until the 23rd April 2021.

A second meeting of the working group took place on 22^ndFebruary 2021, representatives from Festival Republic (the event organiser) were in attendance at this meeting. A third meeting of the working group was held on 12th March 2021 when Members considered actions arising from previous meetings of the working group.

At this point the meeting agreed to move into closed session to receive an update on the discussions held at the Working Group on 12^th March 2021 and to receive further representations from: the victim’s family, the event organiser, West Yorkshire Police, LCC Public Health and an external organisation involved in drug and alcohol welfare.

 (The meeting returned to open session)

RESOLVED – That a further meeting of this Committee be arranged at the earliest opportunity to further consider the proposed response to the Senior Coroner.

Date and time of next meeting to be confirmed.

Date and time of next meeting to be notified to Members in due course.