Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of the Senior Licencing Officer

The Senior Licensing Officer introduced the report as published.

There were no further questions from the applicant or the objector.

Pictures of the proposed leaflets and the minibus were distributed to both the committee and the objectors.

The Rev Coombes then addressed the Committee as an objector.  He made the following points:

·         There was disappointment that the venue was seeking a further variation to the licence as this variation seemed to attract more objections than the original application.

·         The variation doesn’t comply with the Council’s own policy on SEV’s and the onus should be on the licensee to show why the Council should deviate from policy.

·         It goes against the Government’s policy to make the streets safe for women and girls.  Violence against women is currently in the headlines with the murder of Sarah Everard and Ashling Murphy, he felt that the Council would be irresponsible if they agreed to grant the variation.

·         The Minster Exchange project is going to attract more people to the area and the SEV may discourage people from visiting the area.

In response to Member questions the Rev Coombes confirmed that he didn’t recall that there was a lot of litter found last time.  The Chair confirmed that the policy regarding leafletting was different last time.  The Rev Coombes stated that his objection was more to solicitation rather than leafletting.

Cllr Mason then addressed the committee as an objector.  He clarified that some of the points that he was making were on behalf of the constituents who had contacted him as well as his own points.  They were as follows:

·         There is already a large percentage of women who think that the town is unsafe during raceweek

·         Councillors will remember that they adopted Safety of Women at night and that the Council have already given their ruling on this.    He felt that granting this was contrary to the night safe code. 

·         Clarification was requested on whether the clientele and the performers would be in the minibus together.

·         PN17 Code of Conduct states that operators must not distribute anything that will cause a nuisance and annoyance.

·         The grant would be a retro step.

·         There has been a lot of work done to improve the town and to gain Blue Flag status (this was accepted by the committee that Cllr Mason meant the Purple Flag schem) .  Does this fit in with that?

·         We have taxi drivers to take people to the venue – is it necessary to provide a mini bus.

He concluded by saying that so much has been done to improve the night time economy and this will be derogatory to this.

In response to Member questions Cllr Mason responded as follows:

·         He confirmed that he had been contacted by approximately 10 people/organisations including GRASAC and a church group.

·         He did not consider advertising of comedians who may cause offense to be the same as advertising a SEV.

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) started by offering an olive branch to the Chair  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the remaining agenda items as it is likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, if members of the public are present there will be disclosed to them exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 and 2, Part (1) Schedule (12A) Local Government Act 1972, namely:

Paragraph 1; Information relating to any individual

Paragraph 2; Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual

RESOLVED THAT

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the remaining agenda items as it is likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, if members of the public are present there will be disclosed to them exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 and 2, Part (1) Schedule (12A) Local Government Act 1972, namely:

Paragraph 1; Information relating to any individual

Paragraph 2; Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual

The Senior Licensing Officer introduced the report and there were no changes to when the matter came to committee earlier in the month.  The applicant had also provided a written statement that had been circulated to the committee prior to the meeting.

After further Member questions and Member debate the matter went to the vote:

The matter went to the vote on 1.4

For: Unanimously found the driver to be fit and proper to hold a hackney carriage drivers licence.

RESOLVED THAT

The minutes of the exempt minutes held on 5 January were approved and signed as a correct record.