Agenda and minutes

Due to the absence of both the Convener and Vice Convener, Garry Burnett took to the chair for the meeting.

The Forum had before it the minute of the previous meeting of 21 June 2012.

The Forum Resolved:-

(i)            to replace the words “off sales” with “variety” under article 8 paragraph 3, to read “Diane explained that over 50 visits to a variety of premises had taken place”.

(ii)          to otherwise approve the minute as a correct record.

The Forum had before it, the minute of the Joint Meeting with the Licensing Board, for information.

The Forum noted that the Joint Meeting had been a very positive meeting and they looked forward to working with the new Licensing Board members.

The Forum resolved:-

to note the minute.

The agenda for this meeting can be found at:

http://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=151&MId=2461&Ver=4

With reference to article 3 of the minute of the previous meeting, the Forum had before it, the minute of the Licensing Board of 26 June 2012, for information.

The Forum resolved:-

to note the minute.

With reference to article 4 of the minute of the previous meeting, the Forum had before it an updated workplan.

The Forum resolved:-

(i)            to remove item 1 (Doors Supervisor Working Group) item 4 (Protecting and Improving Public Health – City Voice); and item 6 (Staffing Levels); and

(ii)          to otherwise note the workplan.

At the first meeting of the Licensing Board, it appointed one additional member to the Working Group.  As a result, the Board has asked if the Forum would also like an additional member on the group.

With reference to article 5 of the minute of the previous meeting, the Forum had before it a note from the clerk to the Licensing Board, which advised that at the first meeting of the Licensing Board, it appointed one additional member to the Doors Supervisor Working Group.  As a result, the Board had asked if the Forum would also like an additional member on the group.

Inspector Soutar gave a brief synopsis of the group and explained that the main aim of the group was to get consistency with door staff at licensed premises however noted that the group had not met since April due to the local government election.  Licensing Board members however were now all trained and so the meetings could commence again in the foreseeable future.

It was suggested that the extra member be allocated from Unight and John Paul McGivney noted that it would be discussed at Unight’s November meeting.

The Forum resolved:-

(i)            to request that an additional member for the Doors Supervisor Working Group be allocated by Unight; and reported back to the next meeting of the Forum; and

(ii)          to otherwise note the information provided.

At the joint meeting with the Licensing Board, it was agreed that the Forum would decide on a membership for a small working group, to look at joint aims and objectives for Forum and Board.

With reference to article 4 of the Joint Meeting with the Licensing Board, the Forum discussed the joint aims and objectives of the Licensing Board and Forum and noted that since the joint meeting in August, nothing had been done to progress this.

At the joint meeting, it was suggested that a small working group would be set up with Licensing Board and Forum members, to discuss the joint objectives.  The Forum discussed which partners would form part of the small working group and also noted that monthly meetings of the Working Group would be very beneficial for progressing the work to be undertaken.

The Forum resolved:-

(i)            to recommend to the Licensing Board that should the working group be set up, that the members of the Working Group from the Licensing Forum would be Inspector John Soutar (Grampian Police), Diane Sande (Licensing Standard Officer), Linda Smith (NHS Grampian), Sandy Kelman (Alcohol and Drug Partnership), Mairi MacLeod, (Children’s Services), Garry Burnett, (Grampian Fire and Rescue), Ken Eddie, (Civic Forum representative) and a representative from Unight, to be identified at a later date; and

(ii)           to otherwise note the information provided.

A safer, healthier & more responsible attitude to alcohol in Aberdeen.

With reference to article 9 of the meeting of the Joint Meeting with the Licensing Board and Forum, the Forum heard from Garry Burnett who advised that the Aberdeen City Alcohol & Drugs Partnership Strategy for 2009-2019 had been published.

Garry explained that the strategy was split into 3 sections, and from the Grampian Fire and Rescue point of view, the strategy would be adopted immediately.

The Forum discussed the strategy in detail and focused on the sale of alcohol from supermarkets.  Discussion then focused on the amount of premises which hold alcohol licenses and Sandy Kelman questioned how easy it would be to arrange for a statistical mapping exercise to be carried out.  The mapping would be carried out on both off sales and on sales across Aberdeen City and the mapping of the off-sales should detail the location of the premise and total square area of shelf space used at each location for selling alcohol. 

The Forum concluded that the collation of this statistical data would be extremely useful in relation to work needed to be done in preparation for the new policy statement, especially around the section on overprovision.

The Forum resolved:-

(i)            to request that the Licensing Board formally acknowledges the publication of the Aberdeen City ADP Alcohol strategy and endorses that they are in agreement with its aims and objectives;

(ii)          to request that the Licensing Board arrange for a statistical mapping exercise to be carried out on off-sales and on-sales across Aberdeen City, which would detail the location of the premise and total square area of shelf space used for selling alcohol; and

(iii)        to otherwise note the information provided.

Please note that the results contained in this survey cannot be shared until after 6 September.

The Forum had before it an abstract from the recently published City Voice Questionnaire which produced the results to the various questions asked.

The paper explained that the questionnaire was carried out by Aberdeen City Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, which is a multi agency partnership with members from Aberdeen City Council, NHS Grampian, Grampian Fire and Rescue Service and the Third Sector, formed in 2009 to deliver improvements in the quality of life for the people of Aberdeen in regards to alcohol and drugs.  The survey focused on alcohol ‘off-sales’ which referred to alcohol purchased to consume outwith pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs.

In relation to the results of the survey, it was noted that one of the most important responses was to the question on whether the panellists had purchased off-sales alcohol anywhere that was not a pub, club or restaurant during the last 12 months.  The response showed that 81.8% had done so and only 18.2% had not.  It was also recorded that in relation to this, the proportion of male respondents who had bought off-sales alcohol was noticeably higher than the proportion of females, noted at 86.3% compared to 77.7%.  Younger panellists also seemed more likely to purchase off-sales alcohol and the proportion of respondents who had done so was the highest among those aged 16-34, recorded at 87.5%.

Garry Burnett spoke in furtherance of the questionnaire, and advised that he had met the media today along with Sandy Kelman in order to promote the results gathered from the questionnaire.  Members also discussed the results and noted that the survey had gathered very worthwhile data which could be used positively in the future. 

Sandy finally explained that it was very important to change the culture around alcohol sales, and noted that at the press release, it was acknowledged that the Civic Forum had also been involved with the City Voice Questionnaire, as well as Aberdeen City Alcohol and Drugs Partnership.

The Forum resolved:-

(i)            to request the Licensing Board formally acknowledge the results from the results of the Aberdeen City Voice questionnaire 26 (Alcohol purchase and promotion);

(ii)          to request that the Licensing Board agrees that the information from the questionnaire should be considered as part of the intelligence/data which would help to inform them in the work to be undertaken in preparing for the drafting of the updated Licensing Board policy;

(iii)        to request that the clerk circulate an email from the Alcohol and Drug Partnership in relation to the launch of the Alcohol Strategy to all members of the Licensing Forum and Board; and

The Forum heard from Inspector John Soutar, Grampian Police in relation to Licensing Objective 1, Preventing Crime and Disorder.

Inspector Soutar advised that serious assaults within the city centre had declined in recent months and from May until August, only one serious assault had been reported within licensed premises.  Inspector Soutar congratulated Unight for all their work in regards to this.

Inspector Soutar went on to advise that the “Is it Worth it” DVD was now being shown within the school curriculum.

The Forum resolved:-

to note the information provided.

The Forum heard from Diane Sande, Licensing Standards Officer in relation to Licensing Objective 2, Securing Public Safety.

Diane advised that since June, 3 notices of compliance had been issued and also 39 visits had been undertaken to various premises.  Finally Diane explained that a joint operation with Grampian Police was carried out in late August, which tested various toilets within licensed premises for illegal drugs.

The Forum resolved:-

to note the information provided.

The Forum heard from John Paul McGivney, Unight, who advised that there was no update to be given in relation to Licensing Objective 3, Preventing Public Nuisance.

The Forum resolved:-

to note the information provided.

The Forum heard from Linda Smith, NHS Grampian and Sandy Kelman, ADP, in relation to Licensing Forum 4, Protecting and Improving Public Health.

Linda advised that there was no update to be given from NHS Grampian.  Sandy explained that the Scottish Government had recently set targets for individuals to receive treatment from the service and by March 2013 individuals shouldn’t have to wait more than 3 weeks to get treatment.  Sandy finally advised that the service was coping well at present.

The Forum resolved:-

to note the information provided.

The Forum heard from Mairi MacLeod, Children’s Services at Aberdeen City Council, in relation to Licensing Objective 5, Protecting Children from Harm.

Mairi circulated to members the “Getting it Right for Every Child in Aberdeen” operational guidance for 2012, which summarised the Getting it Right values and principles, the core components and provided an overview of how all agencies would use the Getting it Right approach in Aberdeen.

Mairi explained that Children’s Services work under Integrated Children’s Services and the circulated guidance highlighted how they delivered various services.

The Forum resolved:-

(i)            to request that the clerk forward on the Getting it Right for Every Child operational guidance via email to all members of the Forum; and

(ii)          to otherwise note the information provided.

 -GARRY BURNETT, Acting Convener