Agenda and minutes

The Convener welcomed all those in attendance. The Convener envisaged what the Forum would achieve in the year. The role of the Forum was underlined as keeping the licensing process within the city under review, to give feedback and to make recommendations to the Licensing Board.

The Clerk advised that apologies for absence had been intimated by Louise Grant and William Rae.

The Forum had before it the minute of their AGM meeting of 25 January 2022. There were no matters arising from the minute. The Convener requested for future minutes to be circulated ahead of the following meeting to allow Forum members to consider any actions.

The Convener provided an update on the 3 key areas of work which were outlined by the joint meeting of Local Licensing Forum and Licensing Board on 5 October 2021.

During discussion, the following updates were noted:-

Annual Functions Report – Elaine had met with Alan Thomson – Team Leader, Licensing, ACC who accommodated a review of the report. Elaine updated and provided Alan on some benchmarking of the report, the feedback and review was welcomed. Alan agreed for this to be explored further but was cautious of the limited resources and difficulties with IT systems used in extracting some licensing information,

Community Engagement – The Convener had engaged further with Karen Finch, Community Council Liaison Officer. It was highlighted that Community Licensing officers were keen to engage with the process and it was envisaged that Licensing training would be delivered to the Community Councils. The Convener confirmed that Community engagement/ representations and objections, were to be reviewed with the support of the Licensing Paralegals, this would involve looking at the proforma,

Members welcomed the updates in enhancing the community, the Forum, and Community Councils to engage with the Licensing Process.

The Convener provided an overview and feedback on the Alcohol Focus Scotland Workshop.

Part of the workshop addressed a national data set on licensing, some issues raised were highlighted included concerns surrounding the availability of data from a local level, whether data could be provided timely, and the impact on resources.

A second topic discussed at the Workshop was the availability / the harm as the result of alcohol, factors which were understood to have an impact were highlighted as; -

-       Access/ available

-       Visibility

-       Norms in the Community/ local area

-       Affordability

-       Staggered closing times.

The forum welcomed the feedback from the Workshop and members engaged in constructive dialogue around licensing and the Forums role/ purpose.

Ewen McLean – Aberdeen Evening & Night-Time Economy Manager, Aberdeen Inspired, provided an update on the Purple Flag accreditation. Ewen informed the Forum of the re engagement and liaison with trade and partner work, with the possible reestablishment of a trade organisation/ body, restoring the former Unight. Ewen expressed a desire to reintroduce the best bar none scheme which aims at pushing towards excellence in night-time economy, encouraging participation and engagement with the process.

Finlay Cran – Licensing Trade Association, provided an update and overview of Trade engagement and involvement. Covid-19 impacts, other outside influences and business decline were highlighted. Long term engagement, commitment, and the lack of engagement with trade groups/ body’s consequences were addressed.

Neil Carnegie - Area Manager, ACC, provided an update on the significant redevelopment work on community safety, which would involve the development of structures, strengthening of partnership work, the reintroduction of strategic partnership, and development and implementation of community safety strategy for the city.

Steve Mcconnachie – Clinical Practitioner, Integrated Children's and Family Services, ACC, provided an update on the development of a framework which is referred to as the whole family approach – which was explained as looking at how support is provided to those in treatment of addictions through the prism of their family as a support network asset.

Diane Sande/ John Philip – Licensing Standards Officers, ACC provided an update on the reestablishment of scheduled visits, with a focus on visiting new premises. Work focused on the local condition and the vulnerability training policy compliance.

Sandy Munro, Solicitor, ACC, provided information on the recent consultation on the 1-hour extension for on-sales premises on specific dates during the year. The Forum heard that a new Board will be formed following the forthcoming Local Election in May, which will kick start the process of preparing a new policy statement, to be completed within 18 months to finalise the document. Sandy reassured the Forum that there will be full consultation and engagement with the Forum on the policy statement review.

Members had the opportunity to raise any issues of competent business.

During discussion, the following was noted:-