Agenda item

Council assembly is asked to adopt the Southwark Statement of Licensing Policy for 2011/2014 as set out in Appendix A of the report.

The meeting is also being asked to note that a further report will be provided to the council’s licensing committee, on the impact of the licensing provisions contained within the current Police and Social Responsibility Bill upon the council’s policy statement, following the bill’s progression through parliament.

(See pages 75-153 of the main agenda)

This report was considered after the guillotine had fallen, therefore in accordance with council assembly procedure rule 1.12(3) & (4), the report was afforded up to a maximum of 15 minutes.

Council assembly considered whether to receive the deputation request from the residents of the Bermondsey Street area regarding the licensing policy.

RESOLVED:

  That the deputation be received.

The deputation’s spokesperson,Alistair Turnham,addressed the meeting.

Councillors Richard Livingstone and Tim McNally asked questions of the deputation.

In accordance with council assembly procedure rule 2.11(1), the chair of the licensing committee, Councillor Sunil Chopra, moved the report.

In introducing the report the chair of the licensing committee stated that the Police and Social Responsibility Bill mentioned in the report and Amendment G became the Police and Social Responsibility Act 2011 as of 15 September 2011, at which stage it received royal assent.

At this point the 15 minutes allocated to this report expired and therefore Councillor Mark Gettleson, seconded by Councillor Adele Morris, formally moved Amendment G.

Amendment G was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

The substantive motion, including the recommendations contained within the report were put to the vote and declared to be carried.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the document at Appendix A to the report be adopted as the Southwark Statement of Licensing Policy for 2011-2014.

2.  That it be noted that a further report will be provided to the council's licensing committee, on the impacts of the licensing provisions contained within the Police and Social Responsibility Act 2011 upon the council's policy statement, once these become clear.

3.  That the licensing committee has made decisions about local saturation areas based on crime statistics, nuisance complaints and ambulance figures.  Council recognises that some areas such as Bermondsey Street, Shad Thames and Dulwich have lower crime figures, and therefore, have not at this time decided to consider these for saturation area status.  However, when considering new saturation areas there should be an opportunity to pre-emptively address problems by taking into account the proportion of licensed premises in particular streets.  Under the legislation contained in the Police and Social Responsibility Bill introducing new or extended saturation zones will become less burdensome.  Council assembly asks the licensing committee to review and consider the locations of Southwark’s saturation areas and the local criteria for choosing them as the Police and Social Responsibility Bill is now passed.