Issue - meetings

At its meeting on 6 October 2022 the Licensing Committee considered the Borough Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy and RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy, attached at Appendix B to the report, be APPROVED, subject to the correction of minor typographical errors and an amendment to Page No. 89, Paragraph 34.4, bullet point six, to read: “not store or display any alcohol at or near check-outs except for high strength alcohol behind the shop counter.”

NB: the revised Policy is attached.

51.1           At its meeting on 6 October 2022, the Licensing Committee had considered the Borough Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy and recommended that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy be approved subject to the correction of minor typographical errors and an amendment to Paragraph 34.4, bullet point six, to read “not store or display any alcohol at or near check-outs except for high strength alcohol behind the shop counter”.

51.2           The report which was considered by the Licensing Committee had been circulated with the Agenda for the current meeting at Pages No. 43-131 and this included the revised policy.

51.3           The Chair of the Licensing Committee proposed the recommendation of the Licensing Committee and it was seconded by the Vice-Chair who also thanked the Licensing Team for their work to review the service. Accordingly, it was

                  RESOLVED          That the revised Statement of Licensing Policy be APPROVED,                       subject to the correction of minor typographical errors and an                                 amendment to Paragraph 34.4, bullet point six, to read “not                           store or display any alcohol at or near check outs except for                                  high strength alcohol behind the shop counter”.  

To consider the revised Statement of Licensing Policy attached at Appendix B to the report and to recommend to Council that it be approved.

21.1          The report of the Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader, circulated at Pages No. 23-111, asked Members to recommend to Council that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy, attached at Appendix B to the report, be approved.

21.2          The Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader advised that the Licensing Act 2003 required licensing authorities to review and publish a Statement of Licensing Policy at least once every five years.  Tewkesbury Borough Council’s current Statement of Licensing Policy had expired on 7 January 2019 and had not been reviewed since that time due to staff resources and the COVID pandemic.  A draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy had been considered by the Licensing Committee at its meeting on 9 June 2022 where it was approved for a 12 week consultation.  Members were informed that no responses had been received during the consultation; therefore, the Licensing Committee was asked to recommend to Council at its meeting in December 2022 that the draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy, attached at Appendix B to the report, be approved.

21.3          A Member indicated that he had noticed a number of minor typographical errors within the draft Policy and the Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader confirmed she would be happy to speak to the Member following the meeting to make those amendments if the Committee was minded to agree that.  Another Member drew attention to Page No. 89, Paragraph 34.4 of the report, in relation to layout and operation of premises and pointed out that the first bullet point, which stated “store high strength alcohol behind the shop counter”, contradicted the sixth bullet point which stated “not store or display any alcohol at or near check-outs” – it was impossible to comply with both of these statements.  In response, the Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader undertook to amend the sixth bullet point to read “not store or display any alcohol at or near check-outs except for high strength alcohol behind the shop counter”.

21.4          Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED           That it be RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy, attached at Appendix B to the report, be APPROVED, subject to the correction of minor typographical errors and an amendment to Page No. 89, Paragraph 34.4, bullet point six, to read: “not store or display any alcohol at or near check-outs except for high strength alcohol behind the shop counter.”