Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chair for the purposes of this meeting.

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

To note that there are no Reserve Members currently appointed to this Panel.

RESOLVED: To note that no Reserve Members were currently appointed to this Panel.

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.

The minutes of each Panel meeting are signed by the relevant Chair, to confirm their accuracy, shortly after the meeting has taken place.  Minutes of such previous meetings appropriately are not submitted to subsequent Panels, which will be considering relevant cases under different Chairmanships.

See Note at conclusion of these Minutes.

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, or petitions or deputations received, at this meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rules 18, 15 and 16 (Part 4B of the Constitution) respectively.

The Chair introduced the Panel and officers present and outlined the procedure for the conduct of an oral hearing, which was set out in the agenda.

The Panel received a report of the Chief Environmental Health Officer, which detailed an application for a conversion and simultaneous variation to a Club Registration licence for the Kenton Sports Club, Kenton Park Road, Kenton.

The application had been made by the Club Chairman, Mr Brendan Shardlow, for a Club Premises Certificate (CPC), which sought the supply and sale of alcohol together with live music, recorded music and dancing.  The premises were situated on Kenton Park Road within a sports ground complex, in a predominantly residential area.

The application had been referred to the Panel as there was one unresolved representation from local residents and one from a responsible authority.  A further petition, with 70 signatures, had also been submitted objecting to the application for extended hours. Residents had provided examples of noise from patrons, disturbance from cars and patrons sitting on residents’ garden walls.

Rebecca Phillips, of Harrow Council’s Planning Department, had made representations citing one of the Council’s four Licensing Objectives, namely, the prevention of public nuisance.  In her report, she advised that a condition of the planning permission granted stated that the premises shall not be used outside the hours of 0800 and 2300 Monday to Saturday and 0800 to 2230 hours on Sunday, without the prior written permission of the Local Planning Authority.  Ms Phillips’ report also noted that, at the time the planning application was being processed, the Council had received two complaints relating to noise and disturbance.

As Rebecca Phillips was unable to attend the meeting, Sophia Bix attended to represent the Planning Department. 

In response to some of the issues raised, the Club Chairman advised that he had never received a complaint from residents.  If the extension was granted, the Club Chairman assured residents that it was not intended that the club would regularly open for longer hours: the request had been made to prevent the club having to apply for temporary extensions on occasions when longer opening hours were required.  Following clarification from officers regarding the law on ‘drinking up time’ in relation to members-only clubs, the Club Chairman stated that he would be agreeable to the amendment of the application for Saturday to 12 noon to 12 midnight, rather than 12 noon to 0100 hours stated on the original application.  The Club Chairman advised the Panel that the club car park was sometimes used, without permission, by patrons visiting a nearby pub, and it was possible that these people were responsible for the noise reported by residents.

In response to concerns raised by residents, the Club Chairman confirmed that eighteenth birthday parties would not be allowed at the premises.  Officers reminded the Club Chairman that, as a members-only club, the venue should not be hired out for functions by non-members.  The Club Chairman noted that, if the extension were granted, the club would be applying for a variation to the planning permission to prevent a breach of planning consent.

Mr Potts, attending on behalf of local residents, expressed the view that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 110.