monitoring and evaluation

The Licensing Act 2003 saw the biggest reform in licensing law for 40 years. It has impacted on around 190,000 businesses; non-profit making clubs; charity, community and voluntary groups, and almost the entire population of England and Wales who live in the vicinity of, or visit licensed premises.

The new streamlined system has introduced a more proportionate regulation for businesses, and over time should deliver financial and administrative savings for the retail, hospitality, entertainment and leisure industries.

The Government put in place programme of projects to evaluate the impact of the new regime. That programme of evaluation is now complete and DCMS has issued a report outlining the main conclusions from that work:

The "Evaluation of the Impact of the Licensing Act 2003" and its appendices can be found in the publications section of this site.

The programme of evaluation included:

A High Level Ministers and Senior Officials Group to monitor implementation and review the impact of the Act;
An Independent Fees Review Panel to ensure the fees are set at the right level for local government and licensees;
A review of the Guidance to licensing authorities and police on the discharge of their functions under the Act;
A sample group of 10 scrutiny councils to monitor how the new licensing regime is being delivered and whether it is meeting its aims; and
Independent research to establish live music activity in England and Wales prior to and following the implementation of the Act.

Department for Culture Media and Sport

monitoring and evaluation

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