Agenda item

Report No: LIC/SE/17/011

[Councillor Beccy Hopfensperger declared a non-pecuniary interest as a resident of Risbygate Street and remained in the meeting during the discussions and subsequent voting].

Councillor David Nettleton, Ward Member for Risbygate addressed the Committee in respect of this item and the proposal to extend the Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP) into his Ward, which included St Andrew’s Street North, Bury St Edmunds and hoped the CIP would not be extended into these areas.  He explained that he felt the CIP did not deliver what its advocates said it would.  Although he opposed it right from the start, he explained that if Councillors Jo Rayner and Andrew Speed, Ward Members for Abbeygate did not object to its extension to cover the area north, beyond Abbeygate Street to the ward boundaries with Risbygate and Eastgate, he was not objecting as they were the Ward Members. He referred to Councillor Patricia Warby, Ward Member who was present as a member of the Committee, and who could comment or not about the eastern side of St Johns Street which she chose not to. For his part, Councillor Nettleton did not want the CIP extended into the Risbygate Ward.  He stated that Bury St Edmunds had a thriving town centre and he felt the CIP would not be beneficial as a whole.  

The Committee received Report No: LIC/SE/17/011, presented by the Licensing Team Leader, which set out proposals to re-adopt both the Statement of Licensing Policy and Cumulative Impact Policy area for Bury town centre, based on a review of the current legislative framework, the effectiveness of the current policy on crime and disorder in the area and a consultation carried out in accordance with statutory guidelines that apply.

Members were informed that the Council had adopted the current Statement of Licensing Policy centre in 2012 (Report D160 refers).  Under the scope of the Policy, the Council adopted a special area policy covering certain parts of the town centre of Bury St Edmunds where the cumulative impact of significant number of licensed premises concentrated in the area is considered to have a potential impact on the promotion of the licensing objectives.

A number of appendices were attached to Report No: LIC/SE/17/011, as follows:

(Appendix 1) – Crime statistics

(Appendix 2) - Summary of the Consultation Responses

(Appendix 3) – Proposed Policy wording and the proposed map extension

                       of the Cumulative Impact Policy

(Appendix 4) – Residents consultation responses

(Appendix 5) – Police consultation

(Appendix 6) – British Beer and Pub Association consultation response.            

The Committee considered the report and the appendices, in particular Appendix 3 in detail and asked questions to which responses were provided.

The Licensing Team Leader wished to reassure the Committee that the proposal to extend the CIP would not prevent new businesses from applying for an alcohol licence or an extension to their existing licensing hours, but would mean when applying for a licence the applicant would have to provide additional evidence to support their application with the burden of proof that their activities, if approved, would not increase crime, disorder or anti-social behaviour.  The proposals would not exclude restaurants and cafés, and was mainly aimed at premises wishing to sell alcohol after 11pm.  The proposal to extend the area would encompass the two night clubs, late-night refreshments and take-away’s which should have been included in the original CIP based on the evidence.  

In response to a question raised, members were informed that a number of conditions for night clubs had recently been reviewed.  With regards to CCTV outside night clubs, this covered the outside collateral viewing only (entrance to the building).  However, the whole area was monitored by the Borough Councils CCTV system.

Several members of the Committee felt that the night time economy was paramount to the town and did not want to make it too onerous for new businesses to apply the additional burden of risk assessment and proposals for mitigation was part of their licence application, and therefore felt they could not support the proposed extension to the CIP area.  Members also had some concerns about the need for housing and a thriving town centre. 

In response members were informed that the Police had requested the extension to include St Andrew Street North.

The Committee felt that Councillor Nettleton, Ward Member for Risbygate had made some reasonably valid points and suggested that the CIP should include the town centre, but not St Andrew Street North and that the proposed map on page 39 (Appendix 3) be amended to not include the north of Risbygate Street and Brentgovel Street.

It was then proposed by Councillor Richard Rout seconded by Councillor Bob Cockle and with the vote being unanimous, it was

          RECOMMENDED:

          That subject to the approval of Cabinet and Council:

1)  The revised Statement of Licensing Policy attached at Appendix 3 to Report No: LIC/SE/17/011, be adopted.

2)  The Cumulative Impact Area be amended to only extend to the Abbeygate Ward boundary, within the Statement of Licensing Policy, attached as Appendix 3 to Report No: LIC/SE/17/011, be adopted.