Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety introduced a report on the Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy 2017 – 2020.

The Council, as local licensing authority for gaming and betting, was required under the Gambling Act 2005 to have in place a policy setting out how it would carry out its licensing responsibilities and to review that policy every three years.

On 25 April 2017, the Cabinet approved a draft policy for the purposes of public consultation. That consultation took place between July and September and the responses taken into account in the development of the revised draft policy.

The Cabinet Member advised that the revised draft policy reflected the Council’s serious concerns over the impact that any further increase in the number of gambling premises may have for the most vulnerable and ‘at risk’ areas of the borough.  The Council would, therefore, seek to strictly control the number of gambling establishments in those areas in accordance with the licensing objectives.

The Assembly resolved to adopt the Barking and Dagenham Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy 2017 – 2020, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

Further to Minute 115 (25 April 2017), the Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement presented a revised Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy for 2017 - 2020 following consultation over the summer period.

The general response to the Council’s proposals was very positive, with the vast majority of the 123 respondents sharing the Council’s serious concerns of the impact that any further increase in the number of gambling premises may have on the most vulnerable and in ‘at risk’ areas of the Borough.  Another key focus of the policy that drew overwhelming support was the Council’s intention to give careful consideration to applications for premises located near schools or other venues frequented by children and young adults.

The Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement spoke in strong support of the protections for children and young adults offered by the new policy and also remarked on the worrying statistic from the Health Survey for England 2012 which suggested that there could be in excess of 1,400 problem gamblers in Barking and Dagenham.  In that respect, the Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration referred to the need to review the support systems in place for problem gamblers and their families and to raise awareness of the services available.

The Cabinet resolved to recommend the Assembly to adopt the Barking and Dagenham Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy 2017 - 2020, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

(Councillor Ashraf left the meeting at the conclusion of this item to attend a family celebration.)