Agenda item

The principal licensing officer presented their report. The principal licensing officer was supported by the licensing team leader and the regulatory services business unit manager

The principal licensing officer outlined the options available to the members and members had questions for the principal licensing officer, the licensing team leader and the regulatory services  business unit manager.

There was a discussion regarding the costs of removing the levy and the impact that this would have on the funding of the night time economy team.

There was also a discussion regarding the law, which meant that local authorities could not suspend a late night levy. The only options available were to continue with the levy or to remove the levy. Members expressed their frustration with this situation as they would have liked to have been able to temporarily suspend the levy to help businesses until they started to recover, once they were allowed to reopen.

There was also a discussion about whether the council’s 30% of the levy could be used to help businesses.  Officers advised that unfortunately the council would not be able to do this as the law was prescriptive as to what the council could spend its 30% of the levy on.

Following the discussions the Chair proposed that the committee vote to maintain the levy. This was seconded by Councillor Sunny Lambe. All other members of the committee supported this, other than Councillor Sunil Chopra who abstained from the vote.

There was then a discussion regarding how to spend the council’s 30% levy for the year 2019-2020. There was a unanimous decision that this money would be given to the police in order to maintain the funding for the night time economy team.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the licensing committee agreed that the Southwark late night levy (LNL) shall be maintained.

2.  That the licensing committee noted that the licensing committee shall convene a meeting to agree how the council’s 30% portion of the levy revenue shall be spent after the current late night levy year ends (31 August 2021).

3.  That the licensing committee agreed that the council’s 30% portion of the levy revenue for the year 2019-20, equating to £88,048.50, be utilised to pay for the night time economy police.