Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 13 August 2024.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 13 August 2024 (copies of which had ben circulated) were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers are invited to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

 No declarations of interest were made.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair and members of the sub committee on any matters within the powers and duties of the sub committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the code of practice. (Questions must be submitted prior to the commencement of the meeting).

Members of the public were invited to put questions to the Chair on any matters in the powers or duties of the Sub-Committee, subject to the exclusions set out within the Code of Practice.

No public questions were submitted.

To consider whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public during consideration of the application, as appendices to the report contain information ‘not for publication’ in accordance with Section 14(2) of The Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005, and where the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of agenda item 5 – ‘Licensing Act 2003: Application for the Classification of a Film’ in accordance with Section 14(2) of The Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005 to allow the Sub-Committee to view a film which had not yet been classified for public exhibition. It would not, on balance, be in the public interest to allow the unrestricted public viewing of the film prior to its classification by the Sub-Committee and therefore the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

To consider a report of the Director for Place Management.

The report details an application from Paul Woodward for the classification of a film for public exhibition in Stockport.

The Sub-Committee is recommended to consider an application from Paul Woodward to classify the film that has not been classified by the BBFC.

Officer contact: Ian O’Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Director of Place Management submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing an application submitted by Mr Paul Woodward for the classification of a feature documentary film “The Little Things” which was proposed to exhibited to the public at The Plaza, Mersey Square, Stockport, SK1 1SP on 30 September 2024.

It was reported that the film as originally submitted to the Licensing Authority included scenes of people in emotional distress.

The Sub-Committee viewed the film as part of its consideration of the application.

The Sub Committee noted that whilst the applicant or their representative was not present for the meeting, the application submitted satisfactorily addressed the matters requiring consideration by the Sub Committee.

The Sub-Committee then proceeded to consider the protection of children from harm licensing objective in respect of the application together with the relevant parts of the Council’s Licensing Policy and the BBFC Classification Guidance.

The Sub Committee noted that whilst there were scenes of people in emotional distress during the film and that the film is emotionally impactful to the viewer, the educational value of the film outweighed this in line with guidance from the BBFC.

It was then

RESOLVED – That the feature documentary “The Little Things” submitted for classification by Mr Paul Woodward be awarded a PG rating for public exhibition at The Plaza, Mersey Square, Stockport, SK1 1SP.