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.

In respect of agenda item 7 Leeds Festival 2023 Debrief and agenda item 8 Leeds Festival 2023 Event Management Plan Method of approval, the Committee was advised that, although the reports did not include any exempt information, it may be necessary for the meeting to move into closed session should Members wish to discuss operational details of the 2023 Festival or elements of the of the Event Management Plan.

RESOLVED – That, in accordance with Schedule A to the Local Government Act 1972 and Access to Information Procedure Rules 10.4 (1), (2) and (5) the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as exempt from publication 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 so designated as follows:-

Appendices A & B to item 9 “Licensing Act 2003 Regulation 28: Report to Prevent Future Deaths” – as the information included relates to an individual or may be likely to reveal the identity of an individual and contain information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in any legal proceedings.

No formal late items of business were added to the agenda; however the Committee was in receipt of supplementary information relating to agenda item 7 Leeds Festival Debrief (minute 25 refers). The documents had also been published to the Council’s website:

-  Submission on behalf of Eurocabs

-  Submission on behalf of National Highways

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

No declarations of interest were made.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hamilton and Hutchison.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 1^st August 2023.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held 1^st August 2023 be agreed as a correct record.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory, which provides the Committee with an opportunity to receive a debrief following Leeds Festival 2023 in the form of a verbal report from representative of Festival Republic and from partners of the Safety Advisory Group (SAG).

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory, which introduced a de-brief on the Leeds Festival 2023 held in the grounds of Bramham Park over the Bank Holiday weekend, August 2023. Representatives of the event operator, Festival Republic Limited, and partners from the Safety Advisory Group were invited to provide the Committee with feedback.

The Licensing Officer introduced the report and noted receipt of two supplementary documents provided on behalf of Eurocabs Hackney Carriage Association and on behalf of National Highways.

Mr Melvin Benn, Managing Director, Lucy Kinsella, Sarah Tombulca and Hannah Corrigan of Festival Republic Limited attended the meeting.

Mr Benn addressed the Committee on two key issues:

·  Representatives of the Local Authority Festival and the Safety Advisory Group scrutinised preparations for the Festival and following the sad death of Mr D Cellino at the 2022 Festival, he felt that appropriately, the Festival had been under increased scrutiny. The plans for the 2023 Festival presented to the Committee in February 2023 had paid dividends in terms of customer feedback on their experience of the Festival.

·  The revised arrangements for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire (HC/PH) pick-up/drop-off had worked well and Mr Benn provided assurance that these would remain if the 2023 arrangements were the preferred option for the HC trade. Additionally, HC/PH planning could be dealt with as part of the traffic management meetings for the Festival.

Lucy Kinsella provided the Committee with a presentation on the 2023 Festival and any proposals for change in respect of the following issues:

Fire Safety – Campfires had been banned for the first time in 2023, although fires powered by small gas canisters were permitted. Only 7 fires had been reported, compared with 54 in 2022. The campfire ban would continue for 2024 and the team were looking to improve communications between West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) and West Midlands Fire Service which was contracted to support the Festival.

Alcohol and Tobacco – Check 25 had been implemented, the Event Licensing Team on site were supported by LCC Entertainment Licensing. Over 18 wristbands had been issued as described in February 2023 and would continue in 2024.

Medical Welfare and Safeguarding – The two Campsite Welfare hubs introduced for 2023 had dealt with 816 attendees. Daily onsite safeguarding meetings had been held. Minimal drink spiking test kits had been sold. The “#Look Out For Each Other” messaging campaign had been a success, and drugs advisory messaging to deter attendees bringing drugs on site had been implemented at the event access points.

-  1668 people had attended the medical facilities, compared to 1445 in 2022.

-  14 offsite transfers had been made, compared to 31 in 2022.

-  27 on-site X-Rays had been undertaken.

The Committee was provided with statistical analysis of the reasons for attendees seeking medical assistance, which showed leg injury, drug intoxication, alcohol intoxication and head injury as the major causes of visits. The statistics showed that attendees had sought medical support.

Examples  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory, which provides the Committee with an opportunity to review the process for the approval of the Event Management Plan associated with the Leeds Festival. The Premises Licence for the Leeds Festival is subject to a condition that the Event Management Plan and any revisions to the Event Management Plan must be approved each year by the Licensing Authority prior to the Festival.

Further to minute 16 c) of the meeting held 1^st August 2023, the Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory, which provided an opportunity to review the process for the approval of the Event Management Plan (EMP) associated with the Leeds Festival. The Premises Licence for the Leeds Festival is subject to a condition that the EMP and any revisions to the EMP must be approved each year by the Licensing Authority prior to the Festival.

The report set out two options for the Committee to consider as the method of approval of the final EMP for Leeds Festival 2024 and onwards,

a)  To continue with the existing arrangements and delegate approval of the final Event Management Plan to the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory; or

b)  To consider alternative options.

The Committee discussed the following matters:

-  noted the arrangements in place for the development of an EMP for each Festival in partnership with members of the Safety Advisory Group.

-  Members of the Licensing Committee would again be granted access to “Resilience Direct” - the secure national government platform for storing and sharing sensitive information with emergency services and relevant partners of the Leeds Safety Advisory Group (“SAG”) from March 2024 in order to review the emerging EMP.

-  Members welcomed the proposal for the emerging EMP to include a summary of changes.

-  The Committee noted the opportunity for Members to provide comments/ a steer to the Chief Officer on the EMP prior to its approval and that final approval of the EMP was always subject to all partners of SAG confirming their satisfaction with the Plan.

Having considered the options available, the Committee

RESOLVED - To continue with the existing arrangements and delegate approval of the final Event Management Plan to the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory.

(Councillor Wilson left the meeting at this point)

To consider the report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory, which notes that following the Inquest into a fatality at the Leeds Festival 2022, Leeds City Council was served with a Regulation 28: Report to Prevent Future Deaths by the Senior Coroner for the Coroner area of West Yorkshire East. Leeds City Council has a duty to respond to the Regulation 28: Report for the Prevention of Future Deaths by 5^th December 2023 and the report includes a proposed response for consideration by the Committee.

Please note that Appendices A and B of the report have been designated as exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (1), (2) and (5)

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory, which noted that following the Inquest into a fatality at the Leeds Festival 2022, Leeds City Council had been served with a Regulation 28: Report to Prevent Future Deaths by the Senior Coroner for the Coroner area of West Yorkshire East. Leeds City Council had a duty to respond to the Regulation 28 Report by 5th December 2023.

A copy of the Regulation 28: Report to Prevent Future Deaths from the Senior Coroner dated 21^st August 2023 was included at Appendix A. A copy of the proposed response on behalf of Leeds City Council was attached at Appendix B. Both Appendices were designated as exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (1), (2) and (5)

The Chair commended the work of the Council’s Legal Services and Entertainment Licensing Teams in responding to the Regulation 28 Report.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the content of the Regulation 28: Report to Prevent Future Deaths, received from the Senior Coroner for the Coroner area of West Yorkshire East, attached as Exempt Appendix A be noted,

b)  That the content of the draft response on behalf of Leeds City Council, attached as Exempt Appendix B be noted, and

c)  That the Committee authorise the Chair to respond to the Senior Coroner in relation to the Regulation 28 report on behalf of the Licensing Committee.

To note the date and time of the next meeting as Tuesday 23^rd January 2024 at 10.00 am.

RESOLVED – To note the date and time of the next meeting as Tuesday 23^rd January 2024 at 10.00 am.