The Licensing Committee of Cardiff Council met on Wednesday, 15 April 2026, to discuss the review of the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy. The meeting's agenda focused on considering the outcomes of a public consultation on the draft revised policy and recommending it for formal adoption.

Review of the Statement of Licensing Policy

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the review of Cardiff Council's Statement of Licensing Policy (SLP) for the period 2026-2031. This review is a statutory requirement under the Licensing Act 2003, which mandates that licensing authorities review and publish their policies at least every five years. The current policy was due for renewal by January 2026.

The report pack indicated that the draft policy had undergone a public consultation between 2 December 2025 and 5 February 2026. Five formal responses were received from organisations including Alcohol Change UK, the Cardiff NIGHT Forum (formerly the Licensee's Forum), Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff Council Corporate Safeguarding, and Cardiff Council Policy, Partnerships and Community Engagement.

The report detailed the specific amendments made to the draft policy as a direct result of the feedback received. Key areas of discussion and proposed changes included:

• Alcohol Deliveries: In response to concerns raised by Alcohol Change UK regarding weak age verification and deliveries to intoxicated persons, a new sub-section (7.5) titled Alcohol Deliveries was proposed. This section outlines factors the Authority would consider when determining applications for alcohol delivery, including requirements for robust age verification at the point of handover and measures to mitigate risks associated with deliveries to open-air spaces.
• Cardiff NIGHT Forum: The Cardiff NIGHT Forum sought formal recognition within the policy as a conduit between the licensed trade, the Council, and South Wales Police. Section 9.1 of the draft policy was updated to recognise the Forum's role. The Forum also requested clarity on licensing conditions for Major Event Days and the management of customer movement in outdoor spaces, with updates made to Section 7.1 of the draft policy.
• Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB): The UHB welcomed the policy's focus on a varied hospitality offer and best practice schemes. They suggested incorporating a section on the relationship between alcohol and health inequalities. The UHB also requested a correction regarding formal enforcement protocols between the UHB and the Licensing Authority, which was addressed by removing references to such protocols. Section 1.4, Wider Regulatory Context, was created to acknowledge the licensing policy's place within a broader regulatory framework.
• Cardiff Council Corporate Safeguarding: Recommendations were made to align the policy with the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, including updating terminology from vulnerable adults to adults at risk and broadening definitions of harm. The policy was also to be updated to include explicit Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) requirements for staff at under-18 events, strengthened expectations for sharing intelligence regarding safeguarding hotspots, and the incorporation of the national Prevent duty regarding terrorism awareness. Section 11.7, The Prevent Duty, was added.
• Cardiff Council Policy, Partnerships and Community Engagement: This response requested the formal incorporation of Operation Makesafe into the SLP as an example of best practice for protecting children from harm. Sections 7.4 and 10.2 of the draft policy were updated to include reference to this initiative.

Further updates to the policy included revisions to the Profile of Cardiff section in response to a Welsh Language Impact Assessment, and the incorporation of reference to the UK Government's National Licensing Policy Framework.

The report concluded with a recommendation that the Licensing Committee recommend the amended Statement of Licensing Policy to Full Council for formal adoption and publication. The meeting also noted that the report had been prepared in accordance with procedures approved by Corporate Managers and referenced relevant background papers, including the Section 182 Guidance, the previous Licensing Committee report from 19 November 2025, and the National Licensing Policy Framework.

The meeting was scheduled to consider any urgent items if necessary.