Agenda and minutes

The Panel is required to elect a Chairman for the hearing in line with rules agreed by the Licensing and Safety Committee. 

Councillor Hicks was elected as Chairman.

To agree that the Chairman, after consultation with the other members of the panel, sign the record of this meeting outside the meeting. 

The Panel agreed that the Chairman sign the record of this meeting outside the meeting.

There were none.

The Chairman will announce any late items which do not appear on the main agenda but which he/she has agreed should be considered by reason of special circumstances to be specified in the report. 

There were none.

(a)               Personal interests under the Medway Code of Conduct.

A Councillor who declares a personal interest in a matter, including the nature of the interest, may stay, speak, and vote on the matter.

(b)               Prejudicial interests under the Medway Code of Conduct.

A Councillor who declares a personal and prejudicial interest in a matter, including the nature of the interest, must withdraw from the room and take no part in the debate or vote on the matter.

Councillors who have declared a personal and prejudicial interest may make representations, answer questions and give evidence before leaving the room but only if members of the public are allowed to attend for the same purpose.

If an interest is not declared at the outset of the meeting, it should be disclosed as soon as the interest becomes apparent.

There were none.

The Panel heard an application for the grant of a licence for a sexual entertainment venue at the Queen Charlotte, 159 High Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1EH.

The application was to enable the activities of lap dancing, table dancing, pole dancing, strip shows and exotic dancing:

The Licensing and Local Land Charges Manager advised the meeting that as result of the new legislation referred to in paragraph 2 of the report, there were no longer “grandfather rights” for existing clubs to continue to provide relevant entertainment (previously licenced under the Licensing Act 2003) and as such were required to make a new application under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as amended by the Policing and Crime Act 2009.

              The Licensing and Local Land Charges Manager referred to and explained each of the appendices to the report. This included the relevant additional documents required under section 6 of the application form as part of the application and plans showing the site location, site layout (both of which had been verified by the Licensing Unit), the operating schedule, and dancers policy, as set out in Appendix A to the report. Objections to the application were set out in Appendix B to the report. Suggested conditions were set out in Appendix C to the report. An Exempt Appendix was also included in the report.

The panel heard from the applicant:

·        The Applicant gave a history of the pub including that it had first opened in the early 1600s before being rebuilt in the 1800s.

·        That he had taken on the pub six years ago and had taken on the challenge on improving the problems associated with the pub (under age drinking, excessive drinking and violence).

·        That the pub had now changed and that it attracted families during the festivals.

·        That the dancers had moved downstairs to make the activity more discreet and as such some people were unaware of the activity.

·        That the venue was run safely and the dancers conducted themselves professionally

·        That the pub faced fierce competition from other pubs in the High Street.

·        That the pub had no problems with the Police or the Council and that he treated any complaints seriously.

·        That with regards to the activities, there was no “neon” type signage and there was only advertising after 8pm on the day of the activities.

·        That it was his intention to work with local residents.

·        That he had spent £100,000 in the past 5 years on refurbishing the pub and planned to do further works to the external windows and decor in the future.

·        That the award of the licence would allow him to employ additional staff.

·        That the activities would allow the pub to draw in more customers.

·        That the pub would continue to have high standards.

·        That a wide range of people visited the venue including couples.

The objectors and the panel asked the applicant questions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 491.

This report summarises the content of the appendix to agenda item 6, which, in the opinion of the proper officer, contains exempt information within one of the categories in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.  It is a matter for the 1982 Act Hearing Panel to determine whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of this document. 

Decision:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the exempt material relating to agenda item 6because consideration of these matters in public would disclose information falling within Paragraph 1of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as specified in agenda item 7,and, in all the circumstances of the case, the Panel considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. (This enabled the Panel to ask questions to Applicant regarding the information set out in the Exempt Appendix to agenda item 6).