Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1. That approval be given to undertake consultation, in line with the option agreed by the Council in June, in respect of the Council’s revised Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy.

Consideration was given to a report which presented the Statement of Licensing Policy under the Gambling Act 2005 and sought approval to commence formal consultation on the proposed policy.

It was noted that Section 349 of the Gambling Act 2005 required a licensing authority to prepare and publish a statement of its licensing policy at least every three years. The Council’s Gambling Act Statement of Licensing Policy was last due for review and republication in 2016. However this review did not take place due to the Council’s focus on taxi and private hire licensing. In June 2019, the Cabinet approved a two-stage consultation process, with the first stage of the process focussing on broad issues associated with the impact of gambling establishments on the Borough and in localities, and had helped to inform the development of a draft policy.

It was reported that the Council was now in a position to review and publish a revised Statement of Licensing Policy for consultation from the period from January to March 2020, with a view to the policy being presented to Cabinet for recommendation to Council in March 2020.

Resolved:-

That approval be given to undertake consultation, in line with the option agreed by the Council in June, in respect of the Council’s revised Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy.