Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of that part 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 public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information so designated in Appendices 2 and 3 of the report referred to in minutes 104, 105 and 106 both in terms of the Licensing Procedure Rules and Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (3), and on the grounds that it is not in the public interest to disclose the contents as the information therein pertains to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

No late items of business were added to the agenda

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 interest

To consider the report of the Head of Licensing and Registration presenting two applications for a Large Casino Licence. The applications, having passed through Stage 1 of the licensing process, now contain the best and final submissions from the applicants and have completed the evaluation process undertaken by the Licensing Committee’s own Casino Advisory Panel

(Report attached)

PLEASE NOTE – Appendices 2 and 3 of the report (best and final submissions) are designated as containing exempt information under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (3)

Due to the nature of the business, the Committee may be required to re-convene on Tuesday 14^th May 2013 to continue its’ consideration of Appendices 2 and 3

The Head of Licensing and Registration submitted a report presenting two competing applications for the grant of Leeds’ Large Casino Licence. The applications, having passed through Stage 1 of the licensing process, now contained the best and final submissions from the applicants and had completed the evaluation process undertaken by the Licensing Committee’s own Casino Advisory Panel.

Included within the report were the following documents:

·  Appendix 1a  Stage 1 application submitted by Global Gaming Ventures Ltd

·  Appendix 1b  Stage 1 application submitted by Leeds United Football Club Ltd

  Due to the nature of the Stage 2 submissions and the restricted access to the documents required by the application process, Members had considered the following documents in a controlled reading room environment during the two weeks prior to the meeting:

·  Appendix 2a  the best and final application submitted by Global Gaming  Ventures Ltd

·  Appendix 2b  The best and final application submitted by Leeds United Football Club Ltd

·  Appendix 3a  The Advisory Panel Report on Global Gaming Ventures Ltd

·  Appendix 3b  The Advisory Panel Report on Leeds United Football Club

All of the above documents were marked exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (3) and were made available to Members of the Committee again on the day of the meeting.

The Committee heard from the Licensing Officer in respect of the progress of the applications through the Large Casino process. The Committee then heard from Mr T Bridges, Chair of the Casino Advisory Panel in respect of the process adopted by the Panel to assess the proposed benefits to the Authority’s area as set out in the final submissions.

The Committee then considered the motion to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting in order to determine which of the completing applications would, in the Authority’s opinion, be likely if granted, to result in the greatest benefit to the Authority’s area and

RESOLVED – To continue the remainder of the meeting in closed session

Members considered the applications having regard to the Casino application pack approved by Licensing Committee in January 2012, The Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy and the DCMS Code of Practice.

Members paid particular attention to the following key matters that they felt to be pertinent to the licensing guidance which sought to meet the clear financial, social and economic objectives established in Schedule 9 of the Gambling Act 2005:

-  The business case as made by each applicant

-  The detail of the “best and final offers” as proposed in the draft written agreement prepared by the applicant under the provisions of paragraph 5(3)(b) of Schedule 9 of the Gambling Act 2005

-  The evaluation of each application undertaken by the Casino Advisory Panel

Having considered the wealth of material available to them, Members reached a preliminary view on the application most likely to result in the greatest benefit to the Authority’s area; however agreed to re-convene the meeting the following day in order to further consider that view. 

RESOLVED – To re-convene the meeting (as a closed session) on Tuesday 14^th May 2013

Further to minutes 104 and 105 above, the Committee re-convened the meeting in order to further consider the view reached by the Committee on the application for the Large Casino Licence most likely to result in the greatest benefit to Leeds.

Members revisited the best and final submissions, having regard to the evaluation undertaken by the Casino Advisory Panel, the Large Casino application pack, the Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy and the DCMS Code of Practice. Members also had regard to comments received overnight from Counsel on the preliminary view reached by the Committee.

The Committee considered the submissions in the light of the licensing guidance which sought to meet the clear financial, social and economic objectives established in Schedule 9 of the Gambling Act 2005.

Having revisited the material available to them, Members confirmed their preliminary view on the application most likely to result in the greatest benefit to the Authority’s area and

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the applications and the evaluation of the Stage 2 application provided by the Casino Advisory Panel be noted

b)  That the Licensing Committee, having determined which of the competing applications would, in the authority’s opinion, be likely to result in the greatest benefit to the authority’s area; instruct officers to complete a legal agreement to secure the benefits offered under Schedule 9 of the Gambling Act 2005

c)  That officers be requested to report back to the next Committee meeting prior to a final decision to grant the Large Casino Licence