| 24 | RECORD OF THE MEETING |
| | | The record of the meeting held on 18 September 2007 was signed by the Chairman as correct.
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| 25 | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE |
| | | An apology for absence was received from Councillor McFarlane. |
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| 26 | URGENT MATTERS |
| | | The Chairman advised that reports published in the media regarding agenda item 6(A) (Application for grant of sex establishment licence, 174 Rainham Road, Chatham) would not be taken into account by the Committee in determining the application. |
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| 27 | APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF SEX ESTABLISHMENT LICENCE - 174 RAINHAM ROAD, CHATHAM |
| | Discussion: |
| | | A report was presented by the Licensing Manager which gave details of an application for grant of a sex establishment licence at 174 Rainham Road, Chatham. Photographs of the premises in question and shops near to the proposed application were circulated at the meeting.
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| Members heard representations from the applicant, objectors and the Licensing Manager.
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| The applicant stated that he had over 25 years' experience in the licensed sex establishment industry and had never faced prosecution or broken any licensing conditions.
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| The applicant stated that they will have fully trained staff with a strict age policy in place and guaranteed that there would be nothing on display in the window other than lingerie. The applicant also stated that there would be a secure double-door entry to the premises with a buzzer system to indicate when customers enter and that the Police had not objected to the application.
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| The objectors stated that it would be inappropriate for the premises to be situated so close to a school and that the premises would encourage prostitution in the area.
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| In reaching its decision the Licensing and Safety Committee listened to the evidence presented by the objectors, however, they considered that there was insufficient evidence to warrant refusal of the application on any of the grounds specified in the Act. |
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| | > Application for grant of sex establishment licence - 174 Rainham Road, Chatham (pdf file 4.2Mb) |
| | Decision: |
| | | The Committee considered the application and decided to grant a licence for a sex establishment at 174 Rainham Road, Chatham with the standard conditions as set out in the Medway Council (Sex Establishment) Regulations 2000.
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| The Committee in granting the licence added the following conditions to the licence:
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| | (i) | that the premises should not be open on Sundays;
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| | (ii) | that no films or videos should be shown in their entirety within the premises;
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| | (iii) | that an ordinary shop display front should be maintained with a backing which precludes passersby from seeing into the shop;
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| | (iv) | no material shall be displayed in the window other than lingerie not consisting of pvc/rubber or leather. |
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