The Independent Review Panel, chaired by Sir Les Elton, will ensure the fee scale for the Licensing Act 2003 enables local authorities to recover their costs without placing an unreasonable burden on licensees.

The new panel has been drawn from a wide cross section of stakeholders. 

They are:

• Brian Wilson, Acting Executive Director, Commission for Rural Communities
• Clive Allen, Executive Head of Corporate Services, Surrey-Heath Borough Council
• Duncan Bowdler, Head of Trade Liaison, the Co-operative Group
• Francis Patton, Customer Services Director, Punch Taverns
• Paul Woods, City Treasurer, Newcastle City Council

Sir Les Elton said: 

"I am pleased that we can now start the serious work of looking at the impact of the fee structure within the Licensing Act 2003. 

"The breadth of the Panel should give reassurance to all those interested in the implementation of the Act that, when they submit evidence, their concerns will be heard by experienced people who, like me, want to make sure that the system works. 

"We are committed to looking at a full range of issues, including the impact of the fees regime on hospitality and leisure interests, local authorities and broader community interests, including village and community halls, sports clubs and cultural groups."

Licensing Minister James Purnell said:

"The Licensing Act is a big change – for the better.  And inevitably with it come some costs.

"This independent Panel brings together the knowledge and experience we need to ensure licensing fees are set at the right level across the board - from village halls to local authorities.

"We've drawn together experts in rural issues, finance, industry and trade, so that all views are considered and we get the fees right."

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Notes to Editors

1.  The terms of the Panel are to:

• consider whether the fees cover the full cost to licensing authorities;
• identify the scale, extent and nature of any problems;
• make recommendations about how the existing fee structure and levels could be developed;
• ensure best practice is being fully realised across all authorities and
• identify how the regime could be developed to address any other issues, which will include the impact of the structure of the fee scales on community amateur sports clubs, village and community halls.

2.  It is anticipated that the Panel will issue an interim review around October this year and the final report will follow in autumn 2006.

3.  The Panel appointments are non-remunerated posts and are not subject to the Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of Practice.  Each panel member will be will be paid agreed expenses.

4.  The industry and local government panel members have been appointed with the recommendation of the trade bodies and the Local Government Association.

5.  The Panel will be supported by a Secretariat.  This will draw together information provided by stakeholders, including the LGA, individual licensing authorities, industry, LACORS, community, sporting and cultural groups.

6.  Biographies

Clive Allen
Executive Head of Corporate Services, Surrey Heath Borough Council (Camberley).  Duties range through the finance functions of Council Tax, National Non-domestic Rate accountancy, audit as well as legal and support - a service which includes licensing.  Clive Allen was previously Senior Assistant Director of Financial Services, Woking Borough Council, and Assistant Chief Internal Auditor, London Borough of Camden.

Duncan Bowdler
Head of Trade Liaison, the Co-operative Group - the UK's largest co-operative retailer operating 1,800 food stores, nearly all with liquor licenses.  He is also Chair of the Co-operative Retail Legislation Group and chair of the Association of Convenience Stores Government Relations and Campaigns Committee.

Francis Patton
Customer Services Director, Punch Taverns - the UK's 2nd largest pub company, with responsibility for all key stakeholders, including retailers, employees, government, the city and the media.  Francis Patton was formerly Commercial Director at Punch, having started his career with Allied Domecq as an area manager responsible for leased and managed public houses in the Yorkshire region.

Brian Wilson
Acting Executive Director of the Commission for Rural Communities (an operating division of the Countryside Agency), the remit of which is to be a rural advocate, expert adviser and independent watchdog in England.  Previously, Brian Wilson led the Countryside Agency's work on rural services, transport, housing and social inclusion, as well as leading the Agency's development of "rural proofing", which helped deliver a Rural White Paper commitment that all policy making should take account of rural needs.  At one of the Agency's predecessor organisations, the Rural Development Commission, he was Head of Research.  He has also held research posts at the (then) Department of the Environment, working mostly on inner city regeneration. 

Paul Woods
City Treasurer, Newcastle City Council.  Paul Woods is also Treasurer to the Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Authority, and a non-executive Director of NEXUS (Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive).  He is also Treasurer to the Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust.  He is the Chair of Finance Group of the Association of North East Councils and is a technical advisor to the LGA on the current Local Services Review.  He has significant technical experience of capital strategy and programme management and technical work with Revenue Support Grant distribution formulae.