This meeting was scheduled to include a discussion of Camden's draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy 2024-2029 and its potential impact on various protected groups. It also included for discussion changes to the terms and conditions for Street Trading licences in Camden, which are set to be implemented from 1 April 2025.

Review of The Statement of Licensing Policy

The report scheduled to be discussed details the revised Statement of Licensing Policy, taking into account community needs and the Council's relevant strategies and policies. The policy aims to strike a balance between the needs of residents and businesses, seeking to mitigate potential harms from licensable activities by ensuring venues operate legally.

The review of the Statement of Licensing Policy considered the following:

• Camden Evening and Night-Time Economy Strategy: The draft policy aligns with this strategy, particularly in its aim to make Camden a welcoming, safe and inclusive place to spend time in the evening and night-time.[^2]

  [^2]: Camden is a district of north-west London, England, named after Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden.

• Camden 2025: This policy is intended to play an essential role in delivering Camden 2025.

• Camden Local Plan: Consideration has been given to a number of policies within Camden Local Plan relevant to licensing.

• Public Health Priorities: The report addresses concerns about the potentially detrimental impact of alcohol on health and wellbeing in Camden, taking into account data related to alcohol related acute events such as ambulance call outs and admissions to hospital.

• Community Safety Partnership Priorities: The report aims to reduce crime and increase community safety in alignment with the Community Safety Partnership (CSP). The report identifies areas that require a partnership approach, such as making the night-time economy safer.

• Children and Young People's Plan: The policy considers the protection of children from harm, particularly regarding the sale of alcohol and access to licensed premises.

• Camden's Equality Policy: This section emphasizes the Council's commitment to inclusivity and non-discrimination in licensed venues. It highlights that It is unlawful for any venue to discriminate against anyone based on race, sex, sexual orientation, age or any of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

• Late Night Levy: This section explains the late night levy, which aims to manage the impact of licensed premises that sell alcohol after midnight.

• Cumulative Impact Policy Assessment: A Cumulative Impact Policy Assessment was carried out by Six-Till-Six Ltd and MAKE Associates, and it was concluded that on balance, there is insufficient compelling evidence to justify the publication of a CIA to promote any of the licensing objectives in any part of the borough of Camden.

A number of key changes were scheduled for discussion as part of the policy review. Here is a summary of these changes:

• Pre-application Advice Service: Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the pre-application advice service, which aims to improve the application process and help applicants understand the licensing process.

• Women's Safety: The report highlights measures to address the safety of women, encouraging licensed premises to adopt the Ask for Angela scheme[^3] and implement measures to promote the safety of women.

  [^3]: The 'Ask for Angela' scheme allows people who feel unsafe, vulnerable or threatened to discreetly seek help by approaching staff at a participating venue and asking for 'Angela'.

• Alcohol Related Harm - drink spiking: Guidance included in the policy addresses alcohol related harm and issues related to drink spiking. It includes preventive measures such as increased staff training, bartender awareness, and the use of tamper-evident packaging to minimize risks associated with drink spiking.

• Framework Hours: The report suggests an amendment to the framework hours. The proposed revised hours are:

  For licences including the sale or supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises only:

  Monday to Thursday 10:00 am until midnight

  Friday and Saturday 10:00 am until 00:30 am

  Sunday 11:00 am until 11:00 pm

  For licences authorising the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises:

  Monday to Saturday 08:00 am until 11:30 pm

  Sunday 10:00 am until 11:00 pm

  For licences not including the sale or supply of alcohol:

  Monday to Thursday 09:00 am until midnight

  Friday and Saturday 09:00 am until 00:30

  Sunday 09:00 am until 11:00 pm

  The revised framework hours are intended to provide an increased level of flexibility for existing licensed venues and support an increase in the diversification of the Camden evening and night-time economy offer.

• Licensing Principles and Best Practice Guide: This section sets out guidance on the promotion of the four licensing objectives. It includes recommendations for responsible alcohol service, security measures, and staff training, among others.

• Enforcement and Monitoring of Camden’s ENTE: The report details the revised enforcement and monitoring chapter, which seeks to increase collaboration between Responsible Authorities in line with strategic goals, particularly focusing on applications for licensable activities outside of framework hours and applications that don't promote the four licensing objectives.

• Licence Conditions: The licence conditions identify specific premises types and their relevant conditions, designed to guide applicants and responsible authorities in proposing suitable conditions that promote the licensing objectives.

Street Trading Licence Terms and Conditions

The report details revisions to the terms and conditions of Street Trading licences in Camden, to be implemented from 1 April 2025. It highlights changes made since the last update in 2015, and seeks to ensure that trading is undertaken responsibly, protecting both consumers and the environment.

The report suggests a number of new and amended conditions. Here are some of the key proposed changes:

• Sustainability and Environmental Protection: The revised terms and conditions aim to align Street Trading operations with Camden’s climate action goals. This includes promoting the use of electricity instead of gas for cooking, reducing vehicle use, encouraging sustainable packaging, and implementing measures to reduce air pollution from food stalls.
• Trader Behaviour: The revised policy places emphasis on appropriate trader behaviour, promoting a fair and courteous treatment of the public and fellow traders.
• Assistant Registration and Restrictions on Child Employment: The policy clarifies the registration requirements for assistants and prohibits the employment of children in street trading activities.
• Safety Standards: The revised policy introduces specific safety requirements, such as the provision of first aid boxes, fire extinguishers, and fire blankets for food stalls, aligning with current health and safety legislation.
• Commodity Restrictions: The report proposes a revised commodity list and prohibits certain goods like live animals, counterfeit items, unsafe products, and oversized disposable vapes. It also establishes regulations for the sale of alcohol, requiring approval from the Market Manager and a temporary event notice (TEN) permitting the sale of alcohol in a public place.
• Enforcement: The policy strengthens enforcement measures with an updated penalty points system and introduces potential for stricter sanctions for non-compliance with licence conditions, including fines and revocation of licences. The policy emphasizes a fair and consistent approach to penalty point enforcement while enabling direct action against traders who do not comply with regulations.

A consultation on the proposed terms and conditions ran from 5 September 2024 to 3 October 2024, and the responses received were considered and informed the proposed revisions. The majority of respondents expressed satisfaction with the changes, welcoming the emphasis on environmental protection, safety, and stricter enforcement measures. The report recommends approving the revised terms and conditions for street trading licences to be implemented from 1 April 2025.