The Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer confirmed that the Sub Committee would comprise of Councillors Bolton, Derbyshire and Ewudo.

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

                   RESOLVED –

                   that Councillor Derbyshire be elected Chair for this Hearing.

There were no disclosures of interest.

Report of the Head of Community and Customer Services.

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

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Head of Community and Customer Services setting out details of an application for a new licence at the above premises. 

The Licensing Manager introduced the report. It was noted that the application was for a new premises licence at 30 Vicarage Road, Watford, WD18 0EH to allow the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises between 10:00hrs and 23:00hrs Monday to Saturday and between 10:00hrs and 22:30hrs on Sundays; and for late night refreshment between 23:00 hrs and 23:30hrs. The premises had not previously had a licence. 

The Licensing Manager stated that although the Applicant had a licence for a similar premises at 26 Vicarage Road, Watford, WD18 0EH, the Sub-Committee needed to consider this application on its own merits. However as the other licensed premises was of a similar nature in a similar area, it was considered relevant that the premises at 26 Vicarage Road had not received any complaints.

It was noted that a representation had initially been made by Environmental Health Officers. However these had been withdrawn following a modification of the operating schedule.

One representation signed by two people had been received from interested parties, which was found at page 29 of the agenda. However no parties attended the meeting to give an oral representation. The Licensing Manager advised that it was for the Sub-Committee to decide how much weight to give such a representation. He noted that parts of that representation related to the licensing objectives ‘to prevent crime and disorder’ and ‘public safety’. However no representations had been made by the police.

The Licensing Manager highlighted that the Applicant had discussed appropriate conditions with the police and also Environmental Health Officers. The Parking Service had also been consulted regarding the representation from interested parties and it was noted that there was no history of complaints concerning motorcyclists. Despite this, it was noted the Applicant had sought to remedy concerns through the use of additional conditions set out in Annex 2 of the officer’s report.

The Sub-Committee took the opportunity to question the Licensing Manager and clarify aspects of his report. It was noted that Annex 1 of the report set out the mandatory conditions and Annex 2 of the report set out supplementary conditions which had been derived from the Applicant’s operating schedule.

It was understood that the conditions set out in paragraphs 9.3 and 9.4 of the officer’s report had been incorporated into the conditions set out in Annex 2. The method of identifying the minimum price for selling alcohol was noted at condition 6 of Annex 2.

The Sub-Committee noted that the motorcyclists mentioned by the interested parties in their representation might not be customers of the Applicant’s establishment but members of the public.

The Applicant and his Agent were given the opportunity to put questions to the Licensing Manager. However they did not wish to ask any questions.

In the absence of any parties making oral  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.