Agenda and minutes

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

RESOLVED – To elect Councillor Lisa Martin to the 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 against refusal of inspection of documents.

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.

There were no exempt items.

There were no late items.

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 at the meeting.

The report of the Chief Officer Elections and Regulatory requests Members consideration on an application from West Yorkshire Police under section 53A of the Licensing Act 2003 for the summary review of the premises licence in respect of Cock Beck, Pendas Way, Stanks, Leeds, LS15 8LA.

The report of the Chief Officer Elections and Regulatory advised the Sub-Committee that West Yorkshire Police had made an application under section 53A of the Licensing Act 2003 for the summary review of the premises licence in respect of Cock Beck, Pendas Way, Stanks, Leeds, LS15 8LA. The application was made on the grounds of serious crime and serious disorder.

Present at the meeting were:

·  PC Neil Haywood, WYP – Summary Review Applicant

·  David Schneider, Director of Evergreen Inns Ltd. - Licence Holder

·  Erik Seed, DPS and Director of Evergreen Inns Ltd

·  Bob Thompson, RJT Group 56 - Licence Holder’s Representative

·  Jane Wood, Entertainment Licensing - Representation in Support of the Review Application

·  Gary Mann, EPT - Representation in Support of the Review Application

·  Gui Chipchase from Ei Group Ltd - Observer

·  Alan Clarke – Observer

·  Don Mort - Journalist

The Principal Legal Officer set out the procedure for the hearing.

The Principal Licensing Officer presented the report providing the following information for the Sub-Committee:

·  The Sub-Committee were advised of an error in the report at Paragraph 3.10 and were asked to disregard this.

·  It was noted that this summary review followed interim steps which Members had considered on the 13^th December 2024, where Members had unanimously resolved to suspend the licence with immediate effect pending the substantive hearing of the review application.

·  A copy of the premises licence was attached at Appendix A.

·  A redacted version of the application for the summary review from West Yorkshire Police was appended to the report at Appendix B. It was noted that in accompaniment of the application a certificate made under Section 53(1B) of the Act, confirmed that a Senior Member of West Yorkshire Police was satisfied that the premises were associated with serious crime or serious disorder or both. A redacted version of the certificate was attached at Appendix C.

·  At the interim steps hearing it had been decided to suspend the licence with immediate effect and a copy of the decision notice was attached to the report at Appendix D. Contrary to Paragraph 3.10 it was noted that the Licensing Authority had not received a representation in accordance with Section 53B of the Licensing Act 2003.

·  Following the meeting to consider interim steps talks between West Yorkshire Police and the licence holder had resulted in the police offering a number of additional measures to mitigate further risks. An email containing the suggested measures by the police was provided at Appendix E of the report. No settlement had been reached between the parties and a copy of the email containing the licence holder’s response was provided as supplementary information.

·  13 representations had been received in support of the premises licence holder including one on behalf the EI Group Ltd as the freehold owner of the property. These were attached to the report at Appendix I.

·  There were also 4 representations received from members of the public in support of the review application and these were attached to the report  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.