The Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer confirmed that the Sub Committee would comprise Councillors Bolton, Fahmy and Hastrick.

The Sub-Committee was asked to elect a Chair for the hearing.

RESOLVED –

that Councillor Fahmy be elected Chair for this hearing.

There were no disclosures of interest.

Report of the Head of Community and Environmental Services.

The report asks the Sub-Committee to consider an application for a new premises licence following the receipt of representations.

Preliminary matters

There were no preliminary matters raised.

Facts of the application

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Head of Community and Customer Services that related to an application for a new premises licence submitted by the club.  The Senior Licensing Officer introduced the report and explained that Mr Collins was representing Everett Rovers at the hearing.

The Senior Licensing Officer explained that the premises was currently nearing construction, and would be a clubhouse located on Dodd Road.  The table at paragraph 4.7, on pages 5 and 6 of the report, outlined the licensable activities and hours requested in the application. This also contained requests for non-standard hours on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, which were detailed in paragraph 4.8.

Three representations had been received against the application; all from residents who had an interest in nearby properties. The representations were shown at appendices 4A, 4B and 4C of the report and were primarily concerned with nuisance from music and anti-social behaviour from patrons of the club.

The Senior Licensing Officer informed the sub-committee that the objectors, Lucy Hunt and Mark O’Gorman, would not be in attendance at the hearing; but they had requested that their representations still be considered.  It was not known whether Christina Alonso-Mora or Andrew Orgar would attend.  The Senior Licensing Officer added that, although Ms Hunt had stated that her home address was in Hatfield, she spent time at her partner’s residence which was near to the football club.

As all of the representations were valid (on the grounds of the licensing objectives); members were being asked to consider them and to attach such weight as they saw fit.

The Senior Licensing Officer advised that it was not a requirement for objectors or applicants to attend hearings, and matters could be determined in their absence - although this limited the opportunity to ask questions of parties and for them to expand upon their written statements.

He further advised that the police had previously entered in to discussions with the club and had agreed a number of conditions; which they would like to apply on any premises licence which was granted.  As a result, no formal representations had been submitted by the police (and no other responsible authority had objected).

The club, in advance of the hearing, had provided a written submission and two plans that they wished to reference at the hearing.  Accordingly these had been passed on to the objectors.  The Senior Licensing Officer confirmed that the submission and plans had been seen by members.

The Senior Licensing Officer advised that, having considered all of the evidence and representations put before them; it would be for the licensing sub-committee to decide which of the actions available to them would be appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives in relation to the application.  The reasons for the decision should be given as part of the determination.

Representations

No persons attended the hearing to give representations.

Address by the applicant

Mr Collins presented  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.