The Licensing Committee of Westminster Council met on Wednesday 7th February 2024 to approve an increase in premises licensing fees for the upcoming financial year. The committee also reviewed and approved the final Cumulative Impact Assessment.

Premises Licensing Fee Review 2024-2025

The committee approved proposed fee increases for various premises licensing regimes, which will take effect from 1 April 2024. These revised fees are intended to enable the Council to recover its costs associated with administering, monitoring, and enforcing these licensing regimes. The Head of Service for Licensing and Regulatory Services explained that the fee levels are set to recover actual costs incurred by the Council, without generating a profit, and this is in line with statutory requirements and the European Union Services Directive. The report indicated an average uplift of 7.2% across all licences, estimated to generate an additional £60,000. The fees for certain regimes, such as massage and special treatment premises and sex establishments, will continue to be charged in two parts (Part A for application processing and Part B for monitoring and enforcement), following the ruling in the Hemming case.

Cumulative Impact Assessment

The committee received and approved the final Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA). This assessment is a statement of findings based on collected and analysed data, rather than a change in policy itself. The CIA incorporates local crime and disorder statistics, ambulance attendance data, environmental health complaints, and resident perceptions. It will serve as evidence and guidance for applicants, responsible authorities, and interested parties, and will be considered by the Licensing Sub-Committee. The committee noted that any boundary changes to Cumulative Impact Areas and Special Consideration Zones would be carefully considered.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous Licensing Committee meeting held on 4 December 2023 were approved with minor amendments. These included correcting the spelling of Councillor Hamza Taouzzale's name and amending a phrase in the membership section. The committee also noted that Councillor Hazza Taouzzale had replaced Councillor Judith Southern on the committee.

Membership Changes

Councillor Maggie Carman, Vice-Chair, chaired the meeting as Councillor Aziz Toki had sent his apologies. Councillor Jessica Toale was substituting for Councillor Toki. Apologies were also received from Councillors Caroline Sargent, Ed Pitt Ford, and Amanda Langford. It was noted that Councillors Jim Glen and Jackie Wilkinson had been replaced on the Licensing Committee by Councillors Ed Pitt-Ford and Amanda Langford.