Agenda and draft minutes

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Items
No. Item

256.

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

The Chair will advise the meeting of the evacuation procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. This is particularly important for visitors and members of the public who will be unfamiliar with the building and procedures.

 

The Chair will inform the meeting whether there is a planned evacuation drill due to take place, what the alarm sounds like (i.e. ringing bells), where the closest emergency exit route is, and where the second closest emergency exit route is, in the event that the closest exit or route is blocked.

 

The Chair will inform the meeting that:

 

(a) in the event of the alarm sounding, everybody must leave the building via the nearest safe available exit and gather at the Assembly points at the far side of the Car Park.  Nobody must leave the assembly point until everybody can be accounted for and nobody must return to the building until the Chair has informed them that it is safe to do so; and

 

(b) the lifts must not be used in the event of an evacuation.

 

Any officers present at the meeting will aid with the evacuation.

 

It is important that the Chair is informed of any person attending who is disabled or unable to use the stairs, so that suitable arrangements may be made in the event of an emergency.

Minutes:

The Chair drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

257.

Notification of Chairman and Outline of Procedure

Minutes:

The Chair opened the meeting and asked those present to introduce themselves.

 

 

258.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for  themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner.  They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

 

The Chair will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

 

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote.  This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

 

(b)          Disclosable Non Pecuniary Interests (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

 

(c)           Where it is possible that a fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the facts would conclude that there was a real possibility that the Member might be predetermined or biased the Member should declare their predetermination or bias and then leave the meeting while that item is considered.

 

Advice to Members:  If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

 

Minutes:

No interests were declared.

259.

Application for a new Premises Licence pdf icon PDF 133 KB

To consider a new premises licence for Unit 1, Britannia House, 75 High Street, Sheerness.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Licensing Team Leader introduced the report which was for a new Premises Licence at Unit 1, Britannia House, 75 High Street, Sheerness.  She outlined the proposed activities and hours, as set-out on page six of the report.  No representations had been received from a responsible authority, but there had been seven representations from members of the public on the basis of all four of the licensing objectives, and these were set-out in Appendix V of the report.  The Licensing Team Leader explained that some of the objections had referred to the potential fire risk brought on by the proposed development.  Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Service had since been contacted in light of the comments, but no reply had been received to-date.  In response to the concerns, the Applicant had commissioned a Fire Risk Assessment, and this was set-out in Appendix VI of the report.

 

The Chair invited the Applicant to present their case.  The Applicant explained that the application was for a fine dining restaurant, not a bar or night club and live music would be played there, mainly on Friday and Saturday evenings.  He noted that there had been no objections from responsible authorities.

 

The Sub-Committee were invited to ask the Applicant questions.  The Applicant explained that the area marked out for a smoking area, was not part of the current proposed work, but this was a plan for the future.  There was currently no seating in that area, and he suggested that it could one day be paved by Kent County Council.  He also clarified that there would be no outside music at all.  In response to a question on fire safety, the Applicant explained that there would be fire proof cladding within the building.  He highlighted that the building’s previous use included a kitchen, which was also underneath the bedrooms of the flats above.  He outlined the fire alarm system which would be in place.  Acknowledging the concerns with the risk of fire to the flats above, the Applicant explained that the floor/ceiling was made of concrete which reduced the fire risk.  He explained that once the refurbishment was complete, another fire risk assessment would be carried out.  The Applicant considered the development would not pose an additional risk to the residents in the flats above, as they had their own kitchens in place.  He confirmed there were no internal fire escapes.  In response to further questions, the Applicant explained that between 11 pm and 12 am, the premises would be preparing to close, and no new customers would be admitted into the premises after 10 pm.  He added that customers would be seated whilst they were drinking.  Referring to page six of the report, with live music being played both indoors and outdoors, he confirmed that this would be indoor only.

 

The objectors were invited to raise any questions of the Applicant and they raised the following points:

 

·         Concerned with the outside space within the application as this was the main delivery road  ...  view the full minutes text for item 259.

260.

Adjournment of Meeting

Minutes:

The meeting was adjourned from 11.11 am to 11.31 for the Sub-Committee to seek legal advice and from 11.42 am to 12.23 pm for them to make their decision.

Appendix I pdf icon PDF 258 KB