Your Council!Your Council

NOTICE OF MEETING

COMMITTEE:              LICENSING & REGULATORY

DAY/DATE:                 TUESDAY, 22ND MAY 2007

TIME:                          2.30PM                                    

VENUE:                       WEST COMMITTEE ROOM

                                   MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS

                                   EARLE STREET, CREWE

Despatch date:             14th May 2007

Enquiries to:                 Tel: 01270 537598

Carol Jones                  Fax: 01270  537605

E-mail:  agendas@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

 To:      Members of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee (for attendance)

            Other Councillors (for information)

            Chief Executive, Executive Directors

            Licensing Team Officers – Legal Services

Notes to Members of the Public

The Licensing and Regulatory Committee consists of 15 elected Members.  The Committee has 7 standing Sub-Committees.  Sub-Committees 1 to 5 (3 Members on each) deal with applications under the Licensing Act 2003, Sub-Committees 6 and 7 (8 Members on each) deal with personnel matters and Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licensing issues.   

The Borough Council welcomes and encourages members of the public to attend its Committee, Board and Council meetings.  If you plan to attend, please report to the Reception Desk in the Municipal Buildings, where you will be provided with a Visitor’s Pass.

Car parking is not available at the Municipal Buildings, but there are several town centre car parks.  There is a disabled access to the rear of the Municipal Buildings, and this can be accessed through the side door on Vernon Way.  Please press the button for attention, and someone will meet you and escort you through to the main reception area.

You are asked to remain quiet whilst the meeting is taking place, and to enter and leave the meeting room, or public gallery of the Council Chamber, as quietly as possible.  Please ensure that if you have a mobile phone or pager, it is switched off for the duration of the meeting.

You are not allowed to have drinks or food in the meeting rooms, nor in the Public Gallery.  A “No Smoking” policy operates in the Municipal Buildings.

Fire Evacuation

If the fire alarm rings, you should make your way to the nearest exit with your belongings, as quickly as possible, and leave the building.  Please follow any instructions from staff about evacuation routes.          

Copies of the agenda will be available if you attend. Agendas are also made available on the Internet and can be accessed via the Council’s website – see front page for details.

On occasions, members of the press and public will be excluded from the meetings when the business to be transacted is of a confidential nature, for example, dealing with individual people, contracts and financial affairs of other parties.

If you require any further information, please contact Carol Jones the Committee Officer (details on front page).


AGENDA

1          Appointment of Sub-Committees

1.1       The Licensing and Regulatory Committee comprises a total of 15 Members. 

1.2       In addition to responsibilities under the Licensing Act 2003, the Committee is required to continue to undertake those duties formerly exercised by the Regulatory Committee in respect of Hackney Carriage, Private Hire vehicles, other existing licensing matters and employment appeals. 

1.3       Gambling Act 2005  At its meeting in December 2006, Council delegated authority to the Licensing and Regulatory Committee in respect of all duties, authorities and functions in the determination of fees to be charged for premises licences and in the exercise of the registration of small society lotteries. 

The Committee is invited to consider if this duty should be delegated to the two 8-Member Sub-Committees (Nos. 6 and 7).  At Council in December 2006, there was an “understanding” that it would be the full Committee which would make determinations under the Gambling Act 2005, but this was not specifically resolved, and the issue of delegation is a matter for the Committee to decide.

1.4       Sub-Committees 1 to 5 (3-Members) will hear appeals in respect of the Licensing Act 2003.  Sub-Committees 6 and 7 (8-Members) will consider personnel matters, taxi licensing issues, and subject to a decision in 1.3 above, matters under the Gambling Act 2005. 

1.5       Chairs of Sub-Committees

The Sub-Committees will be invited to elect their Chairs at the first meeting.  It should be noted that whilst Sub-Committees 1 to 5 will meet infrequently, Sub-Committees 7 and 8 are expected to meet regularly throughout the year and its meetings have been scheduled into the Timetable of Public Meetings.

The Committee may wish to consider appointing the Chair and Deputy Chair of the full Committee as the Chairs of the two 8-Member Sub-Committees.


2          Training and Development

2.1       Legal Services will provide an overview of the Gambling Act 2005 which comes into force on 1st September 2007.  On that date the Council will replace the courts as the licensing authority for all premises in the Borough at which gambling takes place. With effect from January 2007, the Council was authorised to determine applications for licences made under transitional arrangements prior to the new licensing regime coming into force in September.

2.2        Legal Services will also provide an overview of matters to be taken into account when determining Hackney Carriage and Private Hire license applications and those matters under the Licensing Act 2003.

2.3        Briefing on personnel matters (employment appeals and grievance hearings) will be provided at a future meeting.


3                    Next Meeting

5th June 2007