Meeting documents

Present:

Councillor Hardy (in the Chair)

Councillors

In Attendance:

Head of Legal and Democratic Services Mark Towers, Sharon Davies, Pauline Higson, Ted Rhodes, Lee Pretrak, Liz Wood (Business Services Directorate)

1. APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN

Resolved: That Councillor Hardy be appointed Chairman of the Committee for the Municipal Year 2005/2006.

Resolved: That Councillor Mrs Smith be appointed Vice-Chairman of the the Committee for the Municipal Year 2005/2006.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 31st January 2005 were signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Committee received minutes of the Public Protection Sub Committee for the following dates:

10 February, 17 March, 14 April and 12 May 2005

and considered ways in which the agendas and minutes might in future be conveyed, to those members of the Licensing Committee who did not sit on the Public Protection Sub Committee.

Resolved:

1. That the minutes of the Public Protection Sub Committee for 10 February, 17 March, 14 April and 12 May 2005, be received.

2. That future arrangements for conveying the papers from the Sub Committee to the Licensing Committee be as follows:

Agendas - an emailed copy to be sent to the members of the Licensing Committee who are not members of the Sub Committee

Minutes - Members of the Licensing Committee who are not members of the Sub Committee will access copies of the minutes via the intranet.

The Committee considered the constitution of a Public Protection Sub Committee, its functions and dates for future meetings for the forthcoming Municipal Year.

Resolved:

1. That the Committee agree to the constitution of a politically balanced Public Protection Sub Committee with a membership of 8 (5 Labour, 2 Conservative and 1 Liberal Democrat) and the Group Leaders be requested to notify the Head of Legal Services as to their nominations.

2. That the functions assigned to the Public Protection Sub Committee be those as set out in Part 3 of the Council's Constitution.

3. That the schedule of dates for the forthcoming Municipal Year as presented to the Committee at Paper B of the agenda, be agreed.

The Committee consider a recommendation from the Public Protection Sub Committee to review the policy relating to the licensing of sex shops in view of a decision taken by the Sub Committee.

Members were reminded that on 20th October 1993, the Council agreed that Schedule 3 to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 - Control of Sex Establishments would apply throughout Blackpool with effect from 1st April 1994. The Council also approved standard conditions for sex establishments licences. Following statutory advertisement and approval of licence fees, six applications were received and the Licensing Sub Committee considered the six applications against a pre-determined policy of limiting licences to particular areas and allowing only two to be granted. Two applications were subsequently granted.

The Policy had subsequently been revisited but each time it had been agreed to restrict the number of sex shops in the 'inner locality ' to two.

At its meeting on 17th March 2005 the Public Protection Sub Committee agreed to grant a third sex shop licence based on the merits of the individual application. At its meeting on 14th April 2005 the Sub Committee agreed to recommend the Licensing Committee to change the policy accordingly.

Members received a copy of the report considered by the Sub Committee (Agenda Paper C).

Resolved:

1. That having due regard to all the information before them the Committee agree that no increase be made in the number of sex shops allowed in the given locality as stipulated in the Council's policyand therefore the number of sex shops allowed in 'relevant localities' within the Borough of Blackpool remain at two.

2. That the power to review and amend the policy on sex shops and to determine the localities referred to, be delegated to the Public Protection Sub Committee.

Mrs Davies, Principal Solicitor (Licensing) reported to the Committee on the number of applications that had been submitted and processed in respect of the Licensing Act 2003. Members were informed that of an anticipated 3,000 Personal Licence applications 462 had so far been received with 337 having been granted to date. Of 2,000 Premises Licence applications anticipated 313 had so far been received with 207 having been granted to date. The figures represented approximately 15% of the overall expected number of applications.

Two objections received to date had been resolve by way of mediation.

Members noted that they could access a weekly update of the figures via the Members portal on the intranet.

Resolved:

That the report be received with thanks

The meeting ended at 10.45 a.m.

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