Agenda item

Prior to consideration of this item, the Democratic Services Officer informed the Committee that as a result of changes to the Leader’s Scheme of Delegation he was, following the consultation process in respect of the Gambling Policy, authorised to consider responses and suggested amendments at his meeting on 12 November and make a recommendation to Council on 26 November 2009 (paragraph 13 of the covering report refers)

Cllr Mrs CAED Murfitt sought clarification from the Licensing Officer on the wording of the last sentence in paragraph 11 of the covering report. In response, the Licensing Officer confirmed that it should read: This includes publishing a notice in a local newspaper and on the Council’s website of its intention to adopt a policy.

The Licensing Officer informed the Committee that contrary to the usual practice of providing a revised previously adopted document showing track changes in the agenda papers, and due to the many government changes regarding the Gambling Policy, he had with the help of the Assistant Licensing Officer, re-written the Policy in its entirety. Members’ attention was drawn to the main revisions from the previously agreed Policy, detailed in paragraph 16 of the covering report.

As a result of the ensuing discussion, the following questions were raised in respect of the draft policy with answers in bold type:

• How many gambling premises did SCDC have? No casinos or bingo halls; 5 bookmakers, 2 occasional use for horse races, ie point-to-point in Horseheath and Cottenham
• How would access to the premises be affected if someone else owned it? An adult gambling centre can only have 4 machines that pay out up to £100. Some premises wanted more and split the premises down the middle by, eg, partitioning with plasterboard between the room. The policy now requires a street or public passageway between gambling establishments
• How would if affect community halls that have bingo games? They wouldn’t be affected if the turnover was less than £2000 over a 7-day period
• What was the relevance of premises having a separate registration for business rates and whether the premises were owned by the same person? To counteract sub-dividing the premises
• How were private clubs accommodated within this policy? Gambling clubs require a Gambling licence and would have to apply to the District Council for a premises licence
• A request was made that `non-believer’ groups be added to the consultation list, eg Humanists Agreed
• Did the legislation cover on-line gambling? Any UK based on-line company would be covered but not those with bases outside the UK, however, this was being considered for the next draft of government legislation
• Contrary to reference in the policy that there was no schedule on risk-based inspections in relation to gambling premises, the Licensing Officer informed the Committee that the Local Better Regulation Office was working towards a risk-based inspection toolkit for use by all local authorities to enable consistency throughout the country and was due to be piloted later this year, becoming effective in 2010
• Concern was expressed that a gambling licence might be issued without the premises being checked for fire safety. The `responsible authorities’ would be notified of applications
• It was requested that examples be given of `tracks’ in the Policy. Agreed
• Was there an appeal process regarding the conditions that might be attached to a licence? Yes, to a Magistrates Court

No further issues were raised and the Licensing Committee,

RECOMMENDED            to the Environmental Services Portfolio Holder that the revised Gambling Act Licensing Policy document, attached as an appendix to the covering report be approved for formal consultation.

The Licensing Committee expressed a vote of thanks to Tara King, Assistant Licensing Officer for her help in compiling the policy document.