To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 3 December 2015 (Minute Nos. 369 – 372) and the Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held on 21 January 2021 (Minute Nos. 412 – 414) as corrects records and to accept the Minutes of the following Licensing Sub-Committees:

14 April 2016 (Minute Nos. 642 – 645)

10 May 2016 (Minute Nos. 656 – 659)

25 May 2016 (Minute Nos. 686 – 689)

27 July 2016 (Minute Nos. 805 – 808)

16 August 2016 (Minute Nos. 825 – 828)

31 October 2016 (Minute Nos. 970 – 973)

23 March 2017 (Minute Nos. 1266 – 1270)

20 April 2017 (Minute Nos. 1290 – 1294)

8 May 2017 (Minute Nos.1307 – 1312)

1 August 2017 (Minute Nos. 154 – 157)

8 August 2017 (Minute Nos. 160 – 161)

23 August 2017 (Minute Nos. 171 – 174)

28 November 2017 (Minute Nos. 354 – 358)

30 November 2017 (Minute Nos. 372 – 375)

1 May 2018 (Minute Nos. 641 – 644)

28 June 2018 (Minute Nos. 85 – 88)

25 July 2018 (Minute Nos. 150 – 153)

25 February 2019 (Minute Nos. 514 – 518)

14 June 2019 (Minute Nos. 52 – 56)

1 July 2019 (Minute Nos. 104 – 107)

15 July 2019 (Minute Nos. 129 – 132)

30 September 2019 (Minute Nos. 258 – 261)

9 October 2019 (Minute Nos. 184 – 186)

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 3 December 2015 (Minute Nos. 369 – 372) and the Extraordinary Meeting held on 21 January 2021 (Minute Nos. 412 – 414) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as correct records.

The Minutes of the following Sub-Committees were accepted by the Committee and signed by the Chairman:

14 April 2016 (Minute Nos. 642 – 645)

10 May 2016 (Minute Nos. 656 – 659)

25 May 2016 (Minute Nos. 686 – 689)

27 July 2016 (Minute Nos. 805 – 808)

16 August 2016 (Minute Nos. 825 – 828)

31 October 2016 (Minute Nos. 970 – 973)

23 March 2017 (Minute Nos. 1266 – 1270)

20 April 2017 (Minute Nos. 1290 – 1294)

8 May 2017 (Minute Nos.1307 – 1312)

1 August 2017 (Minute Nos. 154 – 157)

8 August 2017 (Minute Nos. 160 – 161)

23 August 2017 (Minute Nos. 171 – 174)

28 November 2017 (Minute Nos. 354 – 358)

30 November 2017 (Minute Nos. 372 – 375)

1 May 2018 (Minute Nos. 641 – 644)

28 June 2018 (Minute Nos. 85 – 88)

25 July 2018 (Minute Nos. 150 – 153)

25 February 2019 (Minute Nos. 514 – 518)

14 June 2019 (Minute Nos. 52 – 56)

1 July 2019 (Minute Nos. 104 – 107)

15 July 2019 (Minute Nos. 129 – 132)

30 September 2019 (Minute Nos. 258 – 261)

9 October 2019* (Minute Nos. 184 – 186)

*Members noted that this should have read 2020.

A Member queried that some of the minutes had already been signed-off at a previous Licensing Committee meeting.

Post-Meeting Note:  The minutes in question had been signed-off at the General Licensing Committee meetings held on 19 April 2018 and 12 July 2018.  However, as there was no further substantial motion at this meeting, apart from the initial one to accept the minutes, they were all signed by the Chairman.

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 Chairman 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 (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.

Councillor Ben J Martin declared a Disclosable Non-Pecuniary Interest in respect of item 4 on the agenda, Statement of Licensing Policy, as he had a personal licence issued by Swale Borough Council (SBC), and his brother was an owner of a licensed premises in Swale.

The Licensing Officer introduced the report which fed-back on the public consultation on the review of the SBC Statement of Licensing Policy 2021 – 2026.  She explained that the current policy had expired on 16 December 2020.  The Licensing Officer referred Members to Appendix I in the report which set-out the draft Statement of Licensing Policy.  The Licensing Officer said that following the consultation, which ran from 25 January 2021 to 19 February 2021, no responses had been received.

A Member asked why the policy had not run concurrently through from 16 December?  The Licensing Officer apologised and acknowledged it was regrettable that this ‘gap’ had occurred, and explained that due to the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic, some work had not been able to go ahead due to other licensing commitments during this time.

Resolved:

(1)      That Members noted there were no responses to the public consultation on the draft Statement of Licensing Policy under the Licensing Act 2003.

(2)      That the revised Statement of Licensing Policy under the Licensing Act 2003 be endorsed so that it can be referred to Council on 31 March 2021 with a recommendation for adoption.