Agenda item

The report asks the committee to consider the amendments made to the current Council Statement of Gambling Policy. 

Discussion:

The Assistant Director for Legal and Corporate Services introduced the report advising that the amendments to the policy had been out to public consultation between July and October 2012 but no comments were received. The proposed changes were set out in paragraph 5 of the report and shown as track-changes in the appendix.

Members discussed the council’s Statement of Gambling Policy and supported the proposed amendments made and referred the amended policy to Cabinet and then Council, in accordance with the policy framework rules.

A Member asked for the definition of “living sufficiently close to the premises” as set out in paragraph 8.5 (on page 22 of the agenda) and officers undertook to provide a written response to the committee.

Members also discussed the increase in the number of gambling establishments and bookmakers in High Streets, especially the proliferation of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. Recent television programmes had revealed this to be a significant issue in terms of impact on individuals and their families, which could include debt, employees stealing from work, suicide, bankruptcy and homelessness. The committee agreed that the Chairman and Spokespersons, together with relevant officers, should seek a meeting with the Gambling Commission to discuss an approach to the gambling industry about this. The committee also suggested research into whether local initiatives to address these issues had been introduced elsewhere and could be applied in Medway.

The committee also discussed planning class use for businesses, with particular reference to A3 class use. Members used the example that enabled a business to use a property as a café but change to an outlet for payday lending or gambling (which is a change from A3 to A2 class use) that does not require planning permission. Members asked officers to review current planning policy to overcome this. It was also suggested that Medway’s Members of Parliament could be asked to lobby the government about changing planning class use to identify a new class for gambling outlets (as per a similar request which formed part of the recommendations of the Fair Access to Credit review.)

The committee asked the Assistant Director of Legal and Corporate Services to advise Members if there was scope to restrict the number of premises licensed for gambling in Medway on the basis of cumulative impact or saturation in particular areas. The Assistant Director advised that he would investigate this and inform Members of the outcome.

Decision:

The committee agreed to:

(a)               support the amendments made and referred the amended policy to Cabinet and then Council in accordance with the policy framework rules;

(b)               request officers to provide the definition of “living sufficiently close to the premises” as set out in paragraph 8.5 of the council’s Statement of Gambling Policy;

(c)               seek a meeting between the Chairman and Spokespersons of this committee and the Gambling Commission to discuss the increase in the number of gambling establishments, especially the proliferation of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals;

(d)               request that officers research whether there are local initiatives to address these issues that have been introduced elsewhere and could be applied in Medway;

(e)               request officers to review current planning policy to overcome A3 use class including gambling establishments. Also, that Medway’s Members of Parliament are asked to lobby the government about changing planning class use to identify a new class for gambling outlets;

(f)                 ask the Assistant Director of Legal and Corporate Services to investigate if there was scope to restrict the number of premises licensed for gambling in Medway on the basis of cumulative impact or saturation in particular areas.