Agenda and minutes

In the absence of the Chair, Councillor O’Dell, it was

RESOLVED: That Councillor John Branch be appointed Chair for the purposes of this meeting.

To note the appointment at the Special meeting of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee on 17 May 2004 of a Chair of this Panel (subject to confirmation of that decision) under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 7.2, for the Municipal Year 2004/2005 (or to now make an appointment)

RESOLVED:  To note the appointment at the (Special) Licensing and General Purposes Committee meeting on 17 May 2004 of Councillor O’Dell as Chair of the Licensing Panel for the Municipal Year 2004/2005.

To consider the appointment of a Vice Chair of the Licensing Panel for the Municipal Year 2004/2005, under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 7.3.

RESOLVED:  To appoint Councillor Branch as Vice-Chair of the Licensing Panel for the Municipal Year 2004/2005.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             after notifying the Chair at the start of the meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:-

To receive declarations of interest (if any) from Members of the Panel arising from business to be transacted at this meeting.

Councillor Bluston advised the Panel that both the applications listed on the agenda were in his Ward.

RESOLVED: That the above be noted.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 October 2003 and 24 February 2004, be deferred until the printing of the next Council Bound Volume.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meetings held on 22 October 2003 and 24 February 2004 be deferred until printed in the next Council Bound Minute Volume.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 18 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no public questions, petitions or deputations submitted to this meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rules 18, 15 and 16 (Part 4B of the Constitution) respectively.

The Panel received a report from the Chief Environmental Health Officer of an application for the variation on the last entry condition, of a public entertainments licence for the Rat and Parrot Public House.

The Rat and Parrot is a detached building fronting St Ann’s Road and backing onto Greenhill Way, and has a capacity for up to 330 persons.

There were no objections, although the Metropolitan Police had raised concerns over the application to extend the last entry condition to 1am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.  Following conciliation the applicant agreed to accept all the proposals made by the Police.  There were no objections from the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

RESOLVED: That (1) the variation to the last entry condition to midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, to the Rat and Parrot Public House, be granted with the following amended and additional conditions attached:-

CONDITIONS:

1. The maximum number of patrons accommodated at any one time should not exceed 330.
2. CCTV is reviewed in the premises and is confirmed as being and will continue to be a colour system, in good working order and that a 31 day tape storage system is used and adhered to.
3. All entry/exit routes must be monitored by CCTV cameras.
4. Analogue CCTV system must record in SVHS quality, Digital CCTV must have the facility to download images to a CD.
5. The recording equipment must be kept in a secure cabinet or office.
6. Door supervisors are used on the nights that entertainment take place / the licence is used.
7. Door supervisors are registered.
8. Door supervisors are in possession of a “Magic Wand” or similar metal detecting device.
9. The number of door supervisors will mirror the capacity on a ratio of 1 door supervisor  to 50 patrons.
10. One of the door supervisors is female to facilitate searching of female customers.

(2) the Chief Environmental Health Officer be authorised to review the detailed wording of the conditions on the licence and the additional conditions to ensure that they were appropriate to the circumstances of this case, and thereby properly enforceable.

REASON: To safeguard the amenity of the local residents.

[Note: The Chair asked the applicant, Adrian Lister, if he consented to the conditions listed above. Responding, he confirmed that he agreed to the conditions].

The Panel received a report from the Chief Environmental Health Officer of an application for the transfer and renewal of a public entertainments licence for Club Mehfil.

Club Mehfil is in a terrace of commercial premises to the front of the Civic Centre and has a licensed capacity for up to 280 persons.

The application is before the Panel as there were concerns and objections raised by the Metropolitan Police and the Local Authority with regards to the ongoing breaches in conditions and the fact that the licensees have failed to comply with any requests for improvements.  There have been no objections from the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

The Council’s Licensing Officer had made observations of breaches in conditions whilst inspecting the premises on 8 May 2004. The Club was then managed by Mr Sachdeva and Mr Hussain, neither of whom had any experience of managing such a venue prior to taking over management in 2002. In July 2002 it was strongly advised that they undertake the relevant training course to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills for the task. In the intervening period the Police were concerned about management at the premises, and in 2003 they were successful in applying to the Licensing Justices for the revocation of the liquor licence at the premises. Pending the decision on an appeal to the Crown Court, Mr Sachdeva and Mr Hussain transferred the Liquor Licence to a new general manager, Dawn Robson, who had extensive experience in the industry. The transfer was granted by the Licensing Justices. A similar transfer to Dawn Robson is now being sought for the Public Entertainments Licence. As the revised application had just been received, the Police indicated that they may object.

The Metropolitan Police are also objecting to the renewal on the grounds that the premises are not run in a fit and proper manner, in particular the inadequate management and the threat to public order and safety.

The application has come before a Panel as the applicants have failed to comply with the requirements of the licence conditions and have not implemented requests for improvements.

The solicitor representing Ms Robson, Mr O’Maoileoin, informed the Panel of Ms Robson’s background and experience in the nightclub industry. He assured the Panel that the applicant was not disputing any of the comments made, but wished to assist by suggesting compromises. He admitted that the club was previously mismanaged by Mr Hussain and Mr Sachdev, and urged Members to give Ms Robson a chance to prove she was capable of running Club Mehfil.  He explained that the Club was more of a cultural centre than a club and reassured the Panel that Ms Robson would be running the Club without any involvement  from Mr Hussain and Mr Sachdev.  However, a Mr Kapoor had recently been appointed Assistant Manager, and would be sharing the shifts at the Club, subject to the approval of his name being added to the liquor licence at the Magistrates Court the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

In accordance with the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4B of the Constitution), it was

RESOLVED: at 10.00 pm to continue until the business on the agenda had been concluded.