Agenda and minutes

IN ATTENDANCE

Mr J Bradford – Pubwatch Co-ordinator, LCC Community Safety

Mr J Hancock – Chair, Leeds City Centre Pubwatch

Mr P Landau – Unite Leeds Hackney Carriage Association

Mr Q Cooper – Unite Leeds Hackney Carriage Association

Mr J Akhtar – Councillor and Private Hire representative

The Chair welcomed all present to the meeting and indicated the presentation on the Leeds Pubwatch scheme would be dealt with as the first item of business.

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

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes)

Three Late Items of business were included within the agenda for the meeting as follows:

• Minutes of the Special Licensing Committee meeting held 3^rd September 2010 (minute 29b) refers)
• Minutes of the Sexual Entertainment Venues Working Group held 3^rd September 2010. (minute 31b) refers)

Both of the above meetings took place one working day prior to the despatch of the agenda. As such, the minutes were not available on the day of agenda despatch

• The minutes of the last Licensing and Regulatory Panel meeting held 22^nd June 2010 were also tabled as a Late Item as the clerk had omitted these from the agenda. The work of the former Panel had been assumed by Licensing Committee on 20^th July 2010 and this was the first proper meeting able to consider the minutes. (minute 30 Refers)

To declare any personal/prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members Code of Conduct

There were no declarations of interest

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs Feldman;

R D Feldman; Hanley; G Hyde; Selby and Townsley

To consider the report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) which sets out details of the Leeds Pubwatch scheme and how it contributes to the prevention of crime and disorder which is one of the objectives under the Licensing Act 2003.

A presentation on the operation of the Leeds Pubwatch scheme will delivered at the meeting

(Report attached)

The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) setting out details of the Leeds Pubwatch scheme and its role in supporting the prevention of crime and disorder licensing objective under the Licensing Act 2003. Appended to the report was a copy of the National Pubwatch Good Practice Guide document for reference.

Mr J Bradford LCC Pubwatch Co-ordinator and Mr J Hancock licensee and Chair of Leeds City Centre Pubwatch attended the meeting and provided information on the following:

• The role of the Pubwatch Co-ordinator as the central point of contact for all Leeds licensees.
• The advice and guidance offered by the Co-ordinator and the liaison undertaken by him between the licensees and Responsible Authorities
• Approximately 20 local Pubwatch schemes were operating in Leeds
• The Leeds City Centre Pubwatch met bi-monthly and had forged close links with responsible authorities to address licensing issues

During discussions the following matters were considered:

Adherence to the Pubwatch condition – Members were aware that membership of a local Pubwatch scheme was often suggested by West Yorkshire Police and imposed at a Sub Committee hearing as a measure to address the crime prevention objective. It was reported that in such instances the Co-ordinator provided the licensee with an overview of the benefits of the Pubwatch scheme and monitored their participation at subsequent Pubwatch meetings. The Pubwatch Chair recorded attendance and if necessary the Co-ordinator would contact any licensee who appeared to have difficulty in attending

Extending the Pubwatch membership – Members noted a comment that all-night supermarkets and off-licences were often regarded as central to incidents of alcohol fuelled anti social behaviour etc. It was noted that some schemes elsewhere did incorporate such premises, and consideration was being given to extending the Pubwatch membership in Leeds to include them in the long term

Pubwatch and the police – Members noted the process by which a patron could be barred from a specific premises and then be placed on the local Pubwatch “banned list” and queried whether the police should also have the opportunity to place patrons on the list. Officers responded the scheme was purely for licensees, however it was agreed that licensees should feel able to discuss any problems they experienced with an individual patron, informally, with a police officer.

Pubwatch and local residents – It was noted the Co-ordinator did liaise with members of the public regarding premises near their homes, although the public were not members of the scheme.

The Committee expressed its continued support for the Pubwatch schemes and thanked Mr Bradford and Mr Hancock for their informative presentation. Members suggested relevant Pubwatch documentation should be sent to all Members of Council and/or presentations be given to Area Committees to ensure greater awareness amongst the public and partner organisations.

RESOLVED –

a)  To note the contents of the report and to thank Mr Bradford and Mr Hancock for their presentation

b)  To request officers approach West Yorkshire Police, the Community Safety Office and Chairs of LCC Area Committees  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

To approve the minutes of the previous meetings held on

a)  20^th July 2010 (copy attached)

b)  3^rd September 2010 (copy to follow)

RESOLVED –That the minutes of the following meetings be agreed as a correct record:

a)  20^th July 2010

b)  Special meeting held 3^rd September 2010

a)  To approve the minutes of the Special Licensing Committee meeting held on 3^rd September 2010

b)  To note the minutes of the SEV Working Group held on 3^rd September 2010

Both of the meetings above took place one working day before the agenda was despatched for this meeting and neither set of minutes was available to be included.

c)  To approve the minutes of the  Licensing and Regulatory Panel meeting held on 22^nd June 2010.

The work of the former Panel was assumed by Committee on 20^th July 2010 and this is the first appropriate meeting since that date to consider the minutes.

The minutes of the last Licensing and Regulatory Panel meeting held 22^nd June 2010 were tabled as a Late Item. The work of the former Panel had been assumed by Licensing Committee on 20^th July 2010 and this was the first proper meeting able to consider the minutes. The clerk had omitted these from the agenda in error

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Licensing and Regulatory Panel held on 22^nd June 2010 be agreed as a correct record

To receive an update on the work undertaken so far by the Sexual Entertainment Venues Working Group.

Minutes of the meeting held 16^th July 2010 are attached. Minutes of the meeting held 3^rd September 2010 are to follow

The minutes of two meetings of the Sexual Entertainment Venue Working Group (SEV WG) held on 16^th July and 3^rd September 2010 respectively were submitted for noting. The WG had been established by the former Licensing and Regulatory Panel on 22^nd June 2010 (minute 8b) refers) and that function now fell within the remit of the Committee.

The Chair and members of the WG highlighted the useful discussions undertaken so far during the SEV policy development process

RESOLVED – To note the minutes of the following meetings

a)  16^th July 2010

b)  3^rd September 2010

To note the contents of the Licensing Work Programme for the 2010/11 Municipal Year

RESOLVED – To note the contents of the Licensing Work Programme

To note the date and time of the next meeting as Tuesday 19^th October 2010 at 10.00 am

RESOLVED – To note the date and time of the next meeting as Tuesday 19^th October 2010

Councillor Armitage reported she was aware of e-mail correspondence sent on behalf of Unite Leeds Hackney Carriage Association to Members of the Committee; full Council and local M.P’s relating to the ongoing personnel issue within the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Section. The Chair reiterated that no final decision had been reached on the matter and Members of the Committee would be made aware of the outcome once that decision was reached.

Councillor Armitage added that, as with any other service, if any service user had a concern regarding the conduct of an employee, then those concerns should be made formally in writing in order that they could be investigated and, where appropriate, action taken. However rumours, gossip and insinuations would not be considered

Members expressed their concern over the content and tone of the e-mail and requested a robust response be sent to Unite Leeds with a copy to the relevant M.P’s.