106/06
24 July 2006
Scrutiny Council's Report On The Licensing Laws
A group of local councils tasked with monitoring the impact of the Licensing Act has concluded that the laws are starting to have a beneficial impact on residents, police and local councils, according to a new report published today.
However, the 10 Scrutiny Councils, who began work last November, when the new laws came into force, have recommended some areas for improvement.
The councils were asked to identify good practice, capture licensing statistics and make practical recommendations on how the guidance to local authorities and police could be improved.
They found that:
- residents are now far more aware of their rights with regard to licensed premises;
- licensees are more aware of their responsibilities;
- the police, fire service and other responsible authorities are engaging in the process and are making representations in a way that helps licensed premises;
- police are increasingly using the enforcement powers under the Act to deal with problem premises; and
- in many areas the Act has helped the various local authorities to work better together.
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The councils also found that, although the transitional period from 7 February to 24 November was a busy time, it provided a useful opportunity for them to identify premises that had previously been trading illegally. The process also helped to turn around premises with a history of disorder.
In the report to Government, the councils also make a number of recommendations for improvements. These include changing the current advertising arrangements, increasing the amount of time during which police can object to a temporary event and that Government should issue further guidance on how to deal with residents' concerns about problem premises.
Licensing Minister, Shaun Woodward said:
"This report is encouraging. It shows that residents are engaging in the licensing process – and their concerns are being taken seriously.
"What is particularly significant is that the application process weeded out rogue premises. It made problem venues smarten up their act in order to get a new licence and it made licensees take their responsibilities far more seriously.
"Of course it is still early days and it's too early to draw firm conclusions about the impact of the Act. But as this is the biggest shake up of the licensing laws in more than forty years, it stands to reason that there are going to be some improvements that can be made.
"We will be taking the councils' recommendations on board as we re-draft the guidance for police and local authorities and in our wider monitoring and evaluation of the Act."
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The report includes a number of examples where local agencies have used the new powers in the Act to crack down on crime and disorder, prevent public nuisance, ensure public safety and protect children from harm.
For example, in Blackpool town centre, takeaways with licences to operate in the early hours have had conditions attached which require them to have door supervisors and, in some cases, to have CCTV fitted. This would not have been possible previously because takeaways outside London only became licensable when the 2003 Act came into force. The introduction of door supervisors at these premises is having a beneficial effect on the town centre.
In Cardiff, the police had applied for revocation of the licence of a large bar with a history of problems including violence inside and outside the premises and bouncers assaulting customers. The prospect of applying for a licence under the new Act encouraged the licensee to work with the police to improve the premises. Measures included: new seating, reduced capacity, extra CCTV, changes to the queuing system, an over 21 admissions policy, a change in music policy, a bottle ban from 7pm and changes to management and door staff. As a result, the premises were turned around and the application to convert was successful.
And in Nottingham, the local authority has carried out three reviews, all of which were the result of local police test purchasing operations around underage sales. In one case the licence was revoked, but in two of the cases the premises licences were suspended for a number of weeks and additional conditions were added before the premises could re-open.
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Notes to editors
- The Scrutiny Council Initiative Report was published today.
- The 10 scrutiny councils were: Birmingham, Blackpool, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Cardiff, Havering, Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle and Taunton Deane. Other key partners in the initiative were the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Home Office, the Local Government Association and the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS).
- The Scrutiny Council initiative was formally launched by James Purnell, then Minister for Licensing, on 25 November 2005 and ended in June 2006. During this time, DCMS officials visited each council on a regular basis to collect information and data about the practical implementation of the Act and also organised two further plenary meetings and a round of regional meetings in May.
- Full revised guidance to police and local authorities will be consulted on before the end of the year.
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