Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from the Senior Technical Officer.

The Officer’s report advised Section 5 of the Licensing Act 2003 requires a licensing authority to prepare and publish a statement of its licensing policy at least every five years. During the five-year period, the policy must be kept under review and the licensing authority may make any revisions to it as it considers appropriate. The existing Statement of Licensing Policy for Cambridge City Council became effective on 19th October 2017.

The Statement of Licensing Policy has been reviewed within the 5 year period as on 6th April 2018, The Policing and Crime Act 2017 amended the Licensing Act 2003 to place Cumulative Impact Assessments on a statutory footing.

The Statement of Licensing Policy contains a section on the cumulative impact of a concentration of licensed premises.

The proposed Statement of Licensing Policy has seen this section

amended and produced as a stand-alone document, The Cumulative Impact Assessment. Whilst drafting the Cumulative Impact Assessment, evidence was provided by Cambridge Constabulary supporting the current areas covered by the special policy on cumulative impact.

The evidence also proposed a further area of Cambridge be added to the Cumulative Impact Assessment. The map at Appendix 3 of the Cumulative Impact Assessment highlights the area of Chesterton Road, Milton Road and Mitcham’s Corner. The area runs along Chesterton Road from Croft Holme Lane to Ferry Path; Victoria Avenue from the River Cam to Chesterton Road; and Milton Road around Mitcham’s Corner and up to Springfield Terrace.

The process to start publishing a Cumulative Impact Assessment began in August 2020 and a twelve-week public consultation took place between 31 August 2020 and 22 November 2020.

The Senior Technical Officer highlighted the submission from Poppleston Allen representing the UK Hospitality.

The Committee were advised that PC Metcalfe had nothing to add to the Officer’s report. Covid had affected alcohol related crime behaviour.

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

      i.         There was clear evidence that the Cumulative Impact Area (CIA) was needed where indicated in the report recommendation.

    ii.         Expressed concern that alcohol sales were shifting from independent shops and pubs to supermarkets. Queried if this would bias sales towards those who could complete the administration of the licence application process.

   iii.         Given the difficulties in controlling supermarket off-licence sales, it was a good idea to put the CIA where indicated in the report recommendation as people drank alcohol in the street, which could lead to undesirable behaviour.

  iv.         The CIA was an added tool to control alcohol related anti-social behaviour, not a way to stop sales of alcohol.

In response to Members’ questions the Senior Technical Officer said the following:

      i.         If people provided sensible conditions and applications for alcohol sales in a CIA, they would be permitted to make off-licence sales.

    ii.         Each application will be reviewed on its own merits.

   iii.         The City Council website invited people to seek advice from the City Council and/or Police prior to making an application, so they could be assisted as much as possible. People who did not put in well thought out applications may attract representations (ie concerns) and so the application would appear before committee for consideration.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 8 votes to 0) to:

      i.         Consider the results of the public consultation exercise as summarised in Appendix B of the Officer’s report and the information provided by Cambridge Constabulary and Public Health before the public consultation as attached to the Officer’s report as Appendix C;

    ii.         Approve the proposed Cumulative Impact Assessment attached to the Officer’s report as Appendix D. Appendix E is the current section in the Statement of Licensing Policy on the cumulative impact of a concentration of licensed premises.

Councillor Moore took part in the discussion on this item but was unable to vote due to technical reasons. She expressed support for the recommendation before and after the vote.