The Assistant Licensing Partnership Manager outlined the recent statutory changes to the regulation of sexual entertainment venues. Consultation would be required before any decision was made. Members were asked whether the consultation should be based on continuing to license them under the Licensing Act 2003 or based on adopting the new provisions introduced by the Policing and Crime Act 2009.

Following a question she clarified that if regulation continued under the Licensing Act 2003 then such venues could only be assessed according to the four licensing objectives. However, the new provisions allowed a wider range of factors. For example, Members would be allowed to consider the character of the relevant locality. In response to another Member the Officer stated that the current absence of venues did not mean that all localities would be inappropriate but the locality would still have to be considered in each individual case.

The consultation would take the Council’s usual format. It would be publicised, including on the website and interested parties would be written to.

Resolved:      That    Members approve the proposed consultation set out in the Report, with Option 1 (“Adopt the new provisions relating to sexual entertainment venues”) as the Committee’s preference, to determine whether the Council should adopt the sexual entertainment licensing provisions contained in Schedule 3 to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (as amended).