Views sought by council on licensing issues

The council, acting as the local licensing authority under the Licensing Act 2003, will begin a public consultation on July 1 and views will be welcomed until September 30 2013.

The council’s Statement of Licensing Policy, which was last consulted on in 2010, sets out how it will judge applications for liquor, public entertainment, or late night refreshment licences within the statutory framework set out in the Licensing Act 2003.

The aim of the Statement of Policy is to promote the four licensing objectives in the Act.

The policy is one of the key components in the decision making process and is an important document.

To ensure it remains up to date, all licensing authorities are obliged to review the policy and this process of review requires public consultation and therefore all residents and businesses in the district are able to comment.

Once the consultation stage has closed, the council will consider all the comments that have been received.

The council would particularly welcome the views of those who participated in either making representations or attended hearings on any issues they would wish to raise that relate to the Licensing Policy.

At the end of the consultation period, all of the responses will be collated and included in a summary paper, which will be published in November this year.

A revised draft of the Statement of Licensing Policy will be prepared and submitted to a meeting of the council’s Licensing Committee in November 2013 with a view to making a recommendation to the full meeting of HDC in December 2013.

The new Policy Statement will then operate from the January 31 2014.

Once the policy is in force it will be used by the Council to make decisions on licensing issues for the next five years, when the policy will be reviewed again unless the primary legislation is amended within that period.

Christian Mitchell (Con, Holbrook West), chairman of the council’s Licensing Committee, said: “The council’s current Licensing Policy has served us well over the past three years.

“We are now looking to the next five years and to ensure that our policy stands us in good stead, the council is keen to hear from as many people as possible during this consultation period.”

To view a copy of the council’s Statement of Licensing Policy for Public Entertainment, Late Night Refreshment and the Sale and Supply of Alcohol, visit the council’s website.

To obtain a hard copy, email Horsham District Council at [email protected] or call 01403 215578.