Agenda and minutes

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

Councillor McDonald was elected Chairperson for this meeting.

There were none.

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

It was agreed that the Chairperson, after consultation with the other members of the Panel, would sign the record of this meeting outside the meeting. 

The Chairperson 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. 

In accordance with the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003, the Council has received an application for an Expedited Review from Kent Police for the premises licence at Kent Quick Mart, 35 Knights Road, Hoo, Rochester, Kent ME3 9DT, in relation to serious crime and disorder.

The Act requires expedited premises licence review applications to be considered within 48 hours, pending a full hearing of the issues within 28 days of the date that the application was served.

There were none. 

Members are invited to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Significant Interests in accordance with the Member Code of Conduct. Guidance on this is set out in agenda item 5.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

There were none.

Other interests

There were none.

Councillor Kemp then left the meeting as he was not required to sit on the Panel.

It is recommended that the Panel exclude the press and public from the meeting during the consideration of exempt Appendix A and the decision-making process for the reasons set out in the report. 

Decision:

The press and public were excluded from the meeting during the Panel’s deliberations and decision making in respect of agenda item 7, and consideration of the exempt appendix in respect of agenda item 7, because consideration of this matter in public would disclosure information falling within paragraphs 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as specified in agenda item 6 (Exclusion of the Press and Public) and, in all the circumstances of the case, the Panel considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

An application has been received from Kent Police for an Expedited Review of the premises licence at Kent Quick Mart, 35 Knights Road, Hoo, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9DT, as the premises have been associated with serious crime and disorder.

Kent Police are asking that the Panel take the interim step of suspending the premises licence until a full review hearing can be carried out.

Discussion:

The Licensing Officer informed that Panel that an application had been received on 4 February 2025 for an expedited review for Kent Quick Mart, 35 Knights Road, Hoo, Rochester, Kent ME3 9DT due to the premises being associated with serious crime and disorder.

The Panel were informed that Kent Police had suggested the interim step of suspending the licence and the supporting certificate was attached at appendix B to the report.

The Licensing Officer explained that the current premises licence permits the off sales of alcohol between Monday to Sunday 06:00 to 24:00 and a copy of the current licence was attached at appendix C to the report.

The Panel considered further information from Kent Police regarding the incident in closed session.

With the exception of the Legal Representative and the Democratic Services Officer, all present left the room during the Panel’s deliberations, returning to hear the Panel’s decision.

Decision:

The Licensing Committee having heard written and oral representations from Kent Police, whom attended in person, and have determined that interim steps were required to immediately suspend the premises licence of Kent Quick Mart, 35 Knights Road, Hoo, Rochester, Kent ME3 9DT until the next full review hearing in March 2025, as there had been a failure to uphold the four licensing objectives.

The Designated Premises Supervisor was not in attendance and therefore provided no representations.

The Licensing Committee were also satisfied that the Notice Requirements in this urgent review hearing had been complied with.