Agenda item

To consider the draft revised Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005, as set out at Appendix B to the report, and to recommend to Council it be adopted and that the Council continues to adopt a “no- casino resolution” for inclusion in the published Gambling Act 2005 Licensing Policy Statement.

22.1          The report of the Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader, circulated at Pages No. 112-162, asked Members to recommend to Council that the revised Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005, attached at Appendix B to the report, be adopted and that the Council continue to adopt a “no-casino resolution” for inclusion in the published Statement.

22.2          The Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader advised that the Gambling Act 2005 required licensing authorities to review and publish a Statement of Principles every three years.  Tewkesbury Borough Council’s current Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005 had expired on 30 January 2022 and a review had been delayed due to staff resources.  A draft revised Statement of Principles had been considered by the Licensing Committee at its meeting on 9 June 2022 where it was approved for a 12 week consultation.  One comment had been received from Tewkesbury Town Council, attached at Appendix C to the report, around the borough-wide population figure being out of date and the Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader confirmed this had been updated in the draft document. 

22.3          A Member asked whether there had been any substantial changes to the document and was informed that nothing had changed in policy terms but it had been updated to reflect new guidance for local authorities published by the Gambling Commission around local area profile assessment.  Another Member noted there were some sections of text within the document currently marked with xxx where dates needed to be included, for instance, Page No. 136, Paragraph 3 of the report.  The Legal Adviser clarified that these related to dates when the policy would take effect, i.e. the date it was adopted by Council, and therefore could not be completed until that time.  The Member went on to point out that he had identified a number of other minor typographical errors and the Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader indicated that, as with the previous Agenda item, she would be happy to speak to the Member following the meeting to make those amendments if the Committee was minded to agree that.

22.4          A Member asked if those impacted would be made aware of the revised policy following adoption by Council and the Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader explained that the Council’s website would be updated and correspondence would be sent to licensed premises within the borough to let them know.  In response to a query as to how online gambling was regulated, Members were advised that responsibility fell to the Gambling Commission; there was currently a review around online gambling as it had been recognised as a significant problem in the UK. 

22.5          A Member recognised that an awful lot of work had gone into reviewing both the Statement of Principles and the Statement of Licensing Policy.  The Chair asked that the Committee’s thanks to the Licensing Operations and Development Team Leader and her team be put on record.

22.6          It was

RESOLVED           That it be RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that:

i)                 the draft revised Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act, attached at Appendix B to the report, be ADOPTED, subject to the correction of minor typographical errors; and

ii)                it be AGREED that the Council continues to adopt a “no casino resolution” for inclusion in the published Gambling Act 2005 Licensing Policy Statement.