Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chair to the Panel for the purposes of this meeting.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Knowles be appointed Chair of the Panel for the purposes of this meeting.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

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 2 March 2005, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

At the original meeting on 11 May 2005, it was

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2005 be deferred until the next meeting of the Panel.

(Note: The minutes of 2 March 2005 were signed at the Panel meeting on 24 May 2005).

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 no public questions were put at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 18.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no petitions to be received at this meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 15.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 16.

Report of the Director of Legal Services.

The Panel received a report of the Director of Legal Services which detailed an application for the grant of a permit for the use of amusement machines with prizes (AWP) within an amusement centre to be established at 8, St Ann’s Road, Harrow.

After receiving statements from representatives on behalf of the applicant and the objector, the Panel;

RESOLVED:  That (1) the meeting be adjourned until 22 June 2005 at 7.30pm in the Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow, for reasons of natural justice, citing the Human Rights Act and issues of Full Disclosure;

(2) the objector be allowed to submit a response to the market research survey compiled on behalf of the applicant, the response being received by officers at the Civic Centre by 8 June 2005;

(3) no further items may be admitted onto the agenda by either party;

(4) both parties submit a list of all witnesses they propose to call before the Panel;

(5) the late documents, listed below, received prior to this meeting be circulated to all parties at the present time;

• a submission from Councillor Bluston, representative for the Greenhill Ward;
• papers from Poppleston Allen regarding headcounts within amusement centres in the vicinity of the proposed site;
• revised list of gaming applications current and expired.

(6) the application for a Section 34 Permit for an amusement machine with prizes in respect of  8, St Anne’s Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 1LG be granted to Ablethird Limited for a period of 3 years with effect from 22 June 2005.

[Note: Whilst the Panel cannot impose conditions, they sought undertakings from the applicant to install CCTV in the vicinity of the machines as well as on the premises generally, to fit a police approved alarm system and the fitting of an approved security device as detailed in the police letter dated 26 November 2004 (Appendix 4 on the first agenda).  The Chair asked the applicants’ representative if he consented to the undertakings, to which he responded in the affirmative].

[REASON:  The Panel were satisfied that Ablethird Ltd was deemed a fit and proper entity, the premises were suitable and that no evidence had been presented that any harm would arise from such a granting].

(Note: The decisions set out at (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) above were agreed in that part of this Licensing Panel meeting which was held on 11 May 2005. The decision at (6) above was subsequently agreed in that part of this Licensing Panel meeting which had stood adjourned and had then been reconvened on 22 June 2005 – see confirmatory note below).