Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2015.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 19 November 2015 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.

No declarations were made.

To consider whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public during consideration of agenda item 5 (Licensing Act 2003: Application for a Review of the Premises Licence at The Wine Shop, 11a School Lane, Heaton Chapel) as an appendix to the report contain information ‘not for publication’ in accordance with Section 14(2) of The Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005 and where the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs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 notwithstanding the submission of information as part of Agenda Item 5 - ‘Licensing Act 2003: Application to Review the Premises Licence at The George, 15 Wellington Road North, Stockport’ which had been classified as ‘Not for Publication’ by virtue of it containing material which related to an individual, the Sub-Committee was satisfied that unless it was necessary for this information to be heard openly during the proceedings of the hearing, the public not be excluded from the meeting.

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 on the cards provided.  These are available at the meeting).

No public questions were submitted.

To consider a report of the Chief Executive.

The report details an application from Greater Manchester Police to reduce the hours of a licensable activity, namely the sale of alcohol on and off the premises and the addition of a condition requiring that all drinks are decanted into plastic receptacles after midnight, due to failure to adequately promote the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.

The Sub-Committee is recommended to consider the application for a review of the Premises Licence at the George, 15 Wellington Road North, Stockport.

Officer contact: Caitriona Muldoon 0161 474 4162 or email: caitriona.muldoon@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing an application made by a representative of the Chief Officer of Greater Manchester Police being a responsible authority under the Licensing Act 2003 exercising its statutory function to prevent crime and disorder and promote public safety licensing objectives, for a review of the Premises Licence at The George, 15 Wellington Road North, Stockport.

A representative of the Chief Officer of Greater Manchester Police, having made a relevant representation, in addition to the Premises Licence Holder, attended the meeting and answered Councillors’ questions in relation to the application.

The Sub-Committee, having heard the interested parties, 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 guidance from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.  However, the decision was reached on consideration of all arguments given in relation to this specific application.

It was then

RESOLVED - That, having heard the application for a review of the premises licence at The George, 15 Wellington Road North, Stockport made on behalf of the Chief Officer of Greater Manchester Police, the Sub-Committee was satisfied that that the premises had demonstrated its inability to satisfactorily promote the  prevention of crime and disorder and promotion of public safety licensing objectives by virtue of the significant number of evidenced cases of serious incidents of crime and disorder that have been prejudicial to public safety. 

Notwithstanding the significant resources employed by Greater Manchester Police to work closely with the premises to reduce the level of crime and disorder clearly associated with its operation, incidents continue to occur.

The Sub-Committee heard evidence that the level of disorder at The George was significantly more likely to occur as the premises operated into the early hours on Saturday and Sunday mornings and that it was the view of Greater Manchester Police that the terminal hour for licensable activity at the premises should be reduced to reflect this.  The Sub-Committee also heard that violent disorder at the premises had been aided through the weaponisation of glass receptacles provided at the premises

The Sub-Committee concurred with this view.

The Sub-Committee has therefore determined that in order to satisfactorily address the promotion of public safety and prevention of crime and disorder licensing objectives it will be appropriate and proportionate to:-

(1) reduce the approved hours for all licensable activity, Thursday to Saturday to between 9:00 hours and 01:30 hours; and

(2) impose a further condition to require that all drinks supplied after midnight Thursday to Saturday shall be decanted into plastic receptacles.

In the circumstances, the Sub-Committee also agreed that in the light of the reduced hours for licensable activity, the condition on the Premises Licence relating to a requirement for three SIA door supervisors to be employed when the premises are open on a Friday and Saturday should be amended to reduce this number to two.