The Licensing Committee of North West Leicestershire Council met on Wednesday 18 September 2024. The committee discussed the review of the Cumulative Impact Assessment for licensed premises in Ashby de la Zouch town centre, the review of the Gambling Act Statement of Licensing Policy, and the review of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy emissions standards. The committee recommended that Council agree to retain the Cumulative Impact Assessment with amended times, recommended that Council approve the draft Gambling Act Statement of Licensing Policy for recommendation to Council, and resolved to delay the implementation of the Euro emissions standard for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles by twelve months.

Review of Cumulative Impact Assessment of Licensed Premises in Ashby de la Zouch Town Centre

The committee reviewed the Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) for licensed premises in Ashby de la Zouch town centre. Andy Cooper, the Interim Environmental Health Team Manager, presented the report. Concerns were raised by some members about a particular premises serving alcohol that was not included within the CIA zone, citing historical issues with alcohol overconsumption. Mr. Cooper assured the committee that this premises had been historically reviewed with no concerns raised due to its nature and type, and that the CIA process involved collaboration with the police, fire service, consultees, and members, none of whom had expressed concerns.

The Environmental Health Team Manager suggested that including the premises in question would cause delays to the CIA due to the timeline and the requirement for it to go through both the Licensing Committee and full Council. He also noted that changes to the zone would necessitate consultation with affected businesses. Legal advice confirmed that consultation, including with the community, police, and premises, would be required, leading to a delay.

Members acknowledged the importance of the CIA and did not wish to delay its implementation. However, further concerns were raised about alcohol-related crime in the area. Mr. Cooper reiterated that robust monitoring processes were in place, including regular meetings with external agencies to discuss the nighttime economy. It was agreed that Councillor John Legrys and Mr. Cooper would discuss the prevalence of drunk and disorderly behaviour in Coalville and surrounding areas further outside of the meeting. The discussion concluded with a member highlighting the positive aspects of the town's nighttime economy, emphasizing its safety for families and the desire to maintain the market town's appeal.

The committee recommended that Council agree to retain the Cumulative Impact Assessment, subject to the times being amended in accordance with section seven of the report, at its meeting on 20 February 2025.

Review of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy Emissions Standards

The committee considered a report on the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy emissions standards. Tonya Cooper, Licensing Enforcement Officer, presented the report, which recommended delaying the implementation of the Council's Euro emissions standard for licensed vehicles by twelve months to 1 January 2026.

The current policy, approved in November 2022 and effective from January 2023, stipulated that from 1 January 2025, all hackney carriage and private hire vehicles must be fitted with at least a Euro 6 compliant engine or equivalent. A representation was received from the taxi and private hire trade requesting a delay, citing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the trade's recovery. It was highlighted that the largest taxi company in Coalville would need to replace seventeen vehicles to comply with the policy, at an estimated cost of £150,000. Failure to do so would result in a loss of drivers and a reduction in taxi availability. Officers supported this delay, recommending a return to the initial policy implementation date of 1 January 2026.

A benchmarking exercise with other licensing authorities revealed that many neighbouring councils rely more heavily on vehicle age limits than specific emissions standards. For example, Blaby District Council requires Euro 6 engines from September 2025 and has age limits for vehicles, while Charnwood Borough Council does not list specific Euro emissions standards but has age restrictions. Oadby and Wigston Borough Council will require Euro 6 engines from January 2026, with new vehicles being under five years old.

The report noted that 42 of the 209 licensed vehicles in North West Leicestershire would not meet the current policy requirements by January 2025 and would need replacement or retrofitting. The potential implications of not delaying the policy include a loss of licensed drivers and vehicles within the district, and vehicles becoming licensed with other authorities.

The committee resolved to delay the implementation of the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy Euro emissions standard by twelve months to 1 January 2026.

Review of Gambling Act Statement of Licensing Policy

The committee reviewed the draft Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy 2025-2028. Andrew Cooper, Licensing Team Leader, presented the report, which detailed the policy's alignment with the three licensing objectives: preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, ensuring fair and open gambling, and protecting children and vulnerable persons.

The draft policy remained largely unchanged from the previous version, with updates primarily concerning the local area profiles and information on the prevalence of problem gambling severity and demand for treatment. Consultation responses were received from GambleAware and Leicestershire County Council Public Health. GambleAware highlighted interactive maps showing problem gambling severity and recommended publications on tackling gambling-related harms. Leicestershire County Council Public Health provided details on the harms associated with gambling and its impact across the county.

The report noted that the number of licensed gambling premises had remained stable, with a slight reduction since 2019. It was recommended that the delegation to the Head of Community Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, for updating the Local Area Profile be continued.

The committee recommended that Council approve the proposed Statement of Licensing Policy at its meeting on 5 November 2024, and that Council continue with the delegation to the Head of Community Services for the updating of the Local Area Profile.

Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Act 2005 Delegations

The committee considered the report on the Licensing Act 2003 and Gambling Act 2005 delegations. Lee Mansfield, Environmental Health Team Manager, presented the report, which sought approval for updated delegation schemes. The report outlined the statutory basis for these delegations and detailed the proposed schemes for both the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005. The schemes identified which functions would be handled by the Licensing Committee, Licensing Sub-Committee, and officers.

The committee resolved to approve the delegations to the Licensing Sub-Committee and officers as set out in Appendix A and Appendix B of the report.