The Licensing Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Tuesday 25 May 2021, with Councillor Shah Ameen chairing the meeting. The committee formally established its subcommittees and reviewed the Late Night Levy's annual performance.

Licensing Subcommittee Establishment and Terms of Reference

The committee formally established its licensing subcommittees, noting their terms of reference and scheduled meeting dates. The Licensing Act 2003 allows for subcommittees to consist of three members, with a quorum also set at three. Councillor Kevin Brady, Councillor Peter Golds, Councillor Pat Boog, Councillor Rajeeva Ahmed, Councillor Eve McQuillan, Councillor Dan Tomlinson, Councillor Amina Ali, and Councillor Victoria Obaze were appointed as subcommittee chairs. Councillor Shah Ameen and Councillor Shad Chowdhury, as chair and vice chair respectively, automatically became subcommittee chairs.

Late Night Levy Annual Review

The committee reviewed the annual performance of the Late Night Levy for the 2020-2021 period. The Late Night Levy, adopted by the council and effective from 1 January 2019 under the Police Reform and Social Responsibilities Act, requires an annual report detailing income and expenditure. For the 2020-2021 year, the council received £238,134.25, with no administration charges deducted.

Expenditure on initiatives agreed through the Community Safety Partnership included:

• Additional police officers operating between 11 p.m. and 11 a.m. (£34,419)
• Street pastors (£12,366)
• Portable urinals (£62,811)
• Conflict awareness training (£7,000), though this did not take place in 2020-2021 due to the pandemic.
• Officers to manage the scheme (£37,491)

The report noted that due to the pandemic, many initiatives such as street pastors, portable toilets, and additional cleaning were not fully implemented. However, additional police patrols continued and were planned to increase. The council also considered other potential campaigns, including an alcohol-free campaign and additional safety campaigns.

Councillor Victoria Obaze inquired about the decision-making process for the placement of portable urinals, asking how specific areas were chosen. Tom Lewis, Team Leader, Licensing Services, explained that the current placements were based on discussions with the relevant ward councillors and reports of street urination. Councillor Mohammed Pappu raised concerns about the impact of the pandemic on street cleaning services and the council's discretion in not suspending licences for non-payment of the late-night levy. He also mentioned plans to address the accumulated service backlog, including increased police presence and potential re-tendering of the portable toilet contract. Councillor Rajib Ahmed asked for information on investigations, wins, and losses, which was not available at the time of the meeting. Councillor Mohammed Hossain specifically asked about urination problems in the Brick Lane area, and Tom Lewis confirmed that portable toilets had been placed near Jack the Ripper and on Sclade Street, with usage data being collected.

The committee agreed to note the report and for officers to consider the comments made.

Licensing Committee Terms of Reference, Membership and Quorum

The committee noted the Licensing Committee's Terms of Reference, Membership, and Quorum for 2021-2022, as previously agreed by full council on 19 May. Councillor Dan Tomlinson raised a question regarding the meeting start times, noting a shift from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Simmi Yesmin, Democratic Services Officer, clarified that while the first meeting on 1 June would start at 5:30 p.m., subsequent meetings would revert to 6:30 p.m. The committee agreed to note the report.