Issue - meetings

Sandy Kelman asked if the Board felt it has had to deviate from its Licensing Policy often.

The Convener commented that the Board considers each individual application on its own merit, considers the issue in the round and fully questions the applicant.  Peter Benton asked if the Board could provide figures relating to how many new off-sale licences had been granted since the policy had been in force and if these figures could be provided to the Forum.

Ruth O’Hare advised that she didn’t have the figures at hand and would look into whether the figures could be obtained.

The Joint Meeting resolved:-

1)    To note the position and

2)    That Licensing Officers should determine whether figures could be provided to the Forum which indicated the number of new off-sale premises licence which had been granted since the 2013-2016 Licensing Policy Statement has been in force.

The Convener referred to recent Licensing Board meetings and suggested that it seemed that high volume, low cost sales were the main problem and as a result, high cost, low volume sales would be granted a licence against the policy of over-provision.  Mr Anderson advised that there would be occasions when the Board decided that the Policy could be relaxed, or that a licence could be granted with conditions, noting that the Board had to weigh up the evidence it had before it.  Councillor Boulton added that the training planned for later in the year would assist the Board in taking decision which supported the Policy.  She added that the Board would also often divide on decisions which seemed to be going against policy.  Each application had to be judged on its own merits, against the backdrop of the Policy.  Councillor Carle highlighted some positive aspects of the new Policy, noting that solicitors now had to come before the Board and explain how the application would promote the Licensing Objectives.  The Board had also been able to implement more conditions on granted licences.