The Licensing and General Purposes Committee of Barnet Council met on Monday 1 June 2026 to discuss the Licensing Authority Annual Report, the Gambling Statement of Principles, and annual reports from Trading Standards and Environmental Health. Key decisions included approving the draft Gambling Statement of Principles for public consultation and noting the progress of the Trading Standards and Environmental Health teams.

Licensing Authority Annual Report

The committee received the Licensing Authority Annual Report for the period April 2025 to March 2026. Jennifer Barrett, Service Manager for Environmental Protection and Licensing, presented the report, which detailed the team's performance, service improvements, and an update on the current licensing policy.

Councillor Kath McGuirk raised concerns about the number of gambling licences, clarifying that the increase was due to applications from schools and charities for lotteries, rather than commercial gambling establishments. She also discussed the doubling of licensing subcommittees and proposed a new method for constituting them to ensure better availability and fairness for committee members. Councillor Kath McGuirk also highlighted the quasi-judicial nature of subcommittee work, emphasising the importance of careful language and conduct.

Gambling Statement of Principles

The committee discussed the draft Gambling Statement of Principles for 2027-2030. Jennifer Barrett explained that the Gambling Act 2005 requires local authorities to publish such a statement every three years. The proposed revisions require public consultation.

Councillor Lachhya Gurung inquired about the impact of recent legislation, such as the English Devolution and Communities Empowerment Act 2026, on the council's ability to control gambling licences. It was confirmed that this act introduces Gambling Impact Assessments, giving local authorities more control over refusals. The committee discussed the potential for mapping gambling establishments to identify areas with a high concentration of outlets and the challenges of national legislation favouring gambling institutions. Councillor Andrea Bilbow OBE suggested capping the number of gambling establishments in specific areas, which was noted as a potential policy decision requiring further evidence. A joint project with public health is underway to map gambling establishments and assess their impact, with findings expected to inform future policy changes. The draft statement will be sent out for public consultation over the summer.

Trading Standards Annual Report

Yvette Lynch, Head of Counter Fraud and Trading Standards, presented the annual report for 2025-2026. The report highlighted significant achievements, including over 1,600 consumer complaints, two successful criminal prosecutions, and the closure of three businesses for illegal trading. The team seized over 26,000 illegal goods with an estimated market value of £500,000. Fines totalling £123,000 were issued to letting agents for non-compliance. Seven cases were referred for financial investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

The committee commended the team's work. Discussions covered the use of fines for further enforcement, the challenges of enforcing online and overseas businesses, and the process for issuing fines to letting agents. The report also touched upon the Renters' Rights Act and the council's four E's approach to enforcement: education, encouragement, engagement, and enforcement. The seizure of vapes was also discussed, with links to public health noted due to the potential toxicity of nicotine.

Environmental Health Annual Reports

The committee received annual reports for Environmental Health, covering Commercial Health and Safety, Pest Control, Public Health, Noise and Nuisance, and Scientific Services for 2025-2026.

The Commercial Environmental Health report detailed inspections, complaint investigations, and enforcement actions related to health and safety in businesses. The Pest Control report outlined the work undertaken to control rats and mice within the borough. Members raised questions about the breakdown of pest control cases between residential properties and open spaces, and the need for inter-departmental cooperation to address issues like littering.

The Environmental Protection report covered noise and nuisance issues, and the work of scientific services. The committee noted the reports and made a plea for abbreviations to be spelled out on first use in future reports.

Committee Forward Work Plan

The committee reviewed its Forward Work Plan for 2026-2027. A discussion took place regarding the potential rescheduling of the November meeting due to members' availability. The committee agreed to explore moving the meeting to the 23rd of November, with a fallback date of the 16th of November if necessary.