Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2019 were confirmed as correct.

The minutes of the Licensing Sub-Committee meetings held on 27 March and 10 April 2019 were confirmed as correct.

The Council’s Service Manager, Public Protection (SMPP) presented a report on the Council's Draft Statement of Gambling Policy 2019 which asked for members’ observations on four key changes officers were proposing to the Policy. The SMPP summarised the changes proposed as follows:

·  Two of the proposed changes related to controls over category B2 machines (fixed betting terminals). Since the last policy was adopted, the Government had announced that the maximum stake permissible in category B2 would reduce from £100 to £2, and these machines could only be located within betting shops and would be restricted to a maximum number of four per shop. Officers were therefore proposing that the policy recognise this and also that a statement be added to explain that a reassessment of the risks posed by gaming machines was likely to be appropriate for future reviews of the policy when the full implications of the changes would become clear.

·  The third change proposed that a statement be added to the policy to recommend that theapplicants for each category of gambling premises licence seek the views of staff working in the premises in undertaking their local business risk assessments, in recognition of the fact that staff working in gambling premises often have significant insight into the local area where they work; and  

·  The final change related to premises plans submitted as part of the licensing application process based on the Gambling Commission publishing guidance recommending that a higher level of detail be shown on premises plans, in order to help ensure appropriate supervision of premises.

The SMPP stated that the revised draft Policy would go out to public consultation for six weeks between May and June 2019. Following the consultation, all responses would be considered and appropriate amendments to the Policy made. The final proposed version of the Policy would require the approval of both the Cabinet and Assembly.

In response to questions from Members, the Council’s Senior Licensing Officer stated that:

·  Betting shops were regulated by the Gambling Commission (a national organisation). It was very unlikely that gambling premises licence holders would breach the new rules around B2 machines as they would risk losing their operating licence, and if they were a chain business, this could be very detrimental. He predicted that up to 25 percent of gambling premises could close as a result of these changes and therefore, Members could potentially see this in some of the Borough’s wards.

·  It was not for the Local Authority to check if licence holders were monitoring particular users. The Gambling Commission had social responsibility requirements which are reflected in operating systems in shops. They could, for example, offer self-exclusion to customers who wished to stop gambling.

·  The purpose of the Gambling Act 2005 was to facilitate gambling in a way which was consistent with the three licensing objectives stipulated in the Act. The reason the Government had announced that the maximum stake permissible in category B2 would reduce from £100 to £2 was because there was evidence  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

The Committee noted the report.