Agenda and draft minutes

To seek nominations for the election for the position of Chair.

RESOLVED – That Cllr J Gibson be elected as Chair for the duration of the meeting.

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 and Scrutiny Support at least 24 hours before the meeting)

There were no appeals.

1)  To highlight reports or appendices which:

a)  officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

b)  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

c)  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

  RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of those parts 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 press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information

2)  To note that under the Licensing Procedure rules, the press and the public will be excluded from that part of the hearing where Members will deliberate on each application as it is in the public interest to allow the Members to have a full and frank debate on the matter before them.

The agenda contained no exempt information. However, in respect of Agenda Item 6 – Applications to transfer a premises licence and to vary a premises licence to specify an individual as Designated Premises Supervisor for Retail Unit No. 1, 58 Harehills Road, Harehills, Leeds, LS8 5LE, the Committee was advised that it may be necessary for the meeting to move into closed session should Members wish to discuss information provided by West Yorkshire Police. Minute No. 6 refers.

There were no formal late items.

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

No interests were raised.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Officer (Elections and Regulatory) regarding two applications received by the Licensing Authority in respect of the premises known as Retail Unit No. 1, 58 Harehills Road, Harehills, Leeds, LS8 5LE. The matters are:

·  an application to transfer the premises licence; and

·  an application to vary the premises licence to specify an individual as the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS).

The report of the Chief Officer (Elections and Regulatory) presented two applications received by the Licensing Authority in respect of the premises known as Retail Unit No. 1, 58 Harehills Road, Harehills, Leeds, LS8 5LE. The matters are as follows:

a)  An application to transfer the premises licence; and

b)  An application to vary the premises licence to specify an individual as the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS).

The application to transfer the premises licence is made to appoint Wine Plus Ltd, as the licence holder and the application to vary the premises licence is made to specify Goran Mahmoud Ahmed as the DPS.

West Yorkshire Police have lodged objections to each of the applications on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder.

The following were in attendance for this item:

• Usama Patel, Good & Co. Solicitors Ltd. – Applicant’s Representative
• Goran Mahmoud Ahmed, Sole Director of Wine Plus Ltd. and the proposed DPS
• PC Neil Haywood, West Yorkshire Police – Objector

The Legal Officer outlined the proceedings for the hearing and in doing so, two applications were made to table additional information by both parties. Including:

• The applicant provided information relating to a refusal log kept at the premises and a customer survey.
• West Yorkshire Police explained that they had some intelligence they wished to share in closed session with Sub-Committee Members only, as it included intelligence that could not be shared with the applicant.

Parties in attendance did not object to the information being tabled, and therefore it was

RESOLVED – to accept the information by both parties.

The Licensing Officer presented the application as per the submitted report.

The applicant’s representative informed the Sub-Committee of the following:

• Mr Ahmed is 54 years of age and has been living in the UK since 2008. He applied for a licence for a personal licence in September 2024, and the application was successful.
• Mr Ahmed took over the lease at 58 Harehills Road on 17^th October 2024, where the store initially opened. He made an application to the council for both the transfer of the premises licence and to designate himself as the DPS where an objection from the police followed.
• The objection from the police relates to Mr Ahmed being convicted of an offence in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 where he received a 24-month custodial sentence. The Sub-Committee were informed that Mr Ahmed was approached by an induvial in the community and he agreed for them to use his bank details for a fee. Mr Ahmed pleaded guilty and was sentenced.
• Prior to the sentence, Mr Ahmed has not committed an offence and is believed to be a person of good character.
• Following his release from prison, Mr Ahmed worked in a store, Bucharest Off Licence. There was an operation with HMRC Trading Standards linked with the store for illicit non-duty paid tobacco, alcohol and vapes. Mr Ahmed worked at the store as an employee and was not directly involved in that operation.
• Mr Ahmed sees  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.