The Licensing Regulatory Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Tuesday 09 June 2026. The meeting's agenda included a review of the committee's terms of reference, membership, and quorum, as well as the confirmation of minutes from a previous meeting.

Declarations of Interest

Members were reminded of their obligations to declare any interests in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Members. This guidance outlined the categories of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPIs) and Non-DPIs, detailing the actions members must take if they have such an interest, including potential withdrawal from the meeting. The report also provided guidance on predetermination and bias, and noted restrictions for members in Council Tax arrears.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The committee was scheduled to confirm the minutes of the Licensing Regulatory Committee meeting held on 18 September 2025. The minutes detailed the consideration of an application for the renewal of a Sexual Entertainment Venue (SEV) licence for The Nag's Head, located at 17-19 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1DU. This application had attracted a significant number of objections from the local community, though only 30 were deemed valid by officers. The applicant, NH License Ltd., was represented by Ms. Sarah Louise Taylor, accompanied by Mr. Manpal Clair (Director of NH License Ltd.), Mr. Andy Bamber (Compliance Consultant), and Mr. Steve Wilmot (Operations Manager). Objectors, including Mr. Abdul Khalisadar and Ms. Deba Malique, also addressed the committee. The report detailed the arguments presented by both the applicant and objectors, including discussions on the venue's history, compliance with licence conditions, the validity of objections, and the council's SEV policy. Legal advice was provided regarding the application being treated as a renewal and the applicability of certain legal cases. The committee considered previous breaches in August 2022 which undermined confidence in the licence holder's suitability.

Items for Consideration

Licensing Regulatory Committee, Terms of Reference, Membership, and Quorum

This report was presented for the committee's information, outlining its established Terms of Reference, Membership, and Quorum for the Municipal Year 2026/2027. The committee's remit is to exercise all licensing and registration functions (including the setting of fees as appropriate) to the extent they are not the responsibility of the Licensing Committee. The report noted that the committee comprises 15 members of the Council, with no substitute members permitted. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Licensing Regulatory Committee are the same as those of the Licensing Committee. The quorum for this body was set at 4 voting members. The report also detailed the schedule of future meetings for the Municipal Year 2026/2027, with the next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 22 September 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall, Whitechapel.

The report also detailed the specific functions of the committee, including:

• Considering and determining matters under Section 2 of and Schedule 3 to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 regarding the control of sex establishments within the Borough.
• Considering and determining matters under the London Local Authorities Act 1991 in respect of premises providing or wishing to provide special treatments.
• Noting and considering reports recommending that full Council approve changes to licensing fees under various regulations, including the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
• Receiving reports on policy updates, changes, and other matters related to the Committee's remit.

The report indicated that the Corporate Director Communities, or an authorised officer, has the authority to consider and determine all applications for licences where no objections have been made or objections have been withdrawn, for sex establishments and special treatments premises. The authority to determine fees for premises licences in respect of gambling was also delegated.

The report also included information on the committee's membership, listing the councillors assigned to each group: Aspire Group (11), Green Group (2), Labour Group (2), and Ungrouped (1). Councillor Peter Golds was noted as nominated in place of an Aspire Group Member.

The report stated that consideration was given to avoiding school holiday dates and known religious holidays when drawing up the schedule of dates for the Municipal Year 2026/2027. There were no specific statutory, financial, or legal implications arising from this noting report.