The Licensing Committee convened to address several key items, including the appointment of members to licensing subcommittees and the exclusion of the press and public for a confidential matter. Councillors agreed to appoint members to five subcommittees as outlined in the report. The committee also voted to exclude the press and public to discuss a confidential report regarding the Star & Garter AKA Dokis Lounge.

Exclusion of Press and Public

The committee voted to exclude the press and public from the meeting to allow for the consideration of a report regarding the Star & Garter AKA Dokis Lounge, 419 New Cross Road. This decision was made under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, which allows for the exclusion of the press and public when the discussion involves the likely disclosure of exempt information. The grounds for exemption were defined in paragraphs 1, 3, and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act, and the committee determined that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Appointments to Licensing Subcommittees

The committee agreed to appoint councillors to five licensing subcommittees, as detailed in the Appointments to Sub Committees report. This decision aligns with the provisions contained in the council's constitution. The subcommittees are structured as follows:

• Sub-Committee A: Councillor Yemisi Anifowose, Councillor Sian Eiles, Councillor Aisha Malik-Smith
• Sub-Committee B: Councillor Chris Barnham, Councillor Bill Brown, Councillor David Walker
• Sub-Committee C: Councillor Kim Powell, Councillor David Walker, Councillor Natasha Burgess
• Sub-Committee D: Councillor Natasha Burgess, Councillor Billy Harding, Councillor Sian Eiles
• Urgency Sub-Committee: Councillor Yemisi Anifowose, Councillor Bill Brown, Councillor Chris Barnham

The majority of hearings will be considered by subcommittees A-D in rotation, while the Urgency Committee will handle summary applications and short-notice applications for Temporary Event Notices. The constitution allows any member of the Licensing Committee to act as a substitute for any member of any Licensing Subcommittee. Each subcommittee will appoint its own chair and vice chair.

The report outlines the policy context for these appointments, noting their alignment with Lewisham's Corporate Priorities as set out in the council's Corporate Strategy (2022-2026), particularly the priorities of Building an Inclusive Local Economy and Building Safer Communities. The report also reminds members of the Licensing Committee to have regard to the Licensing Act 2003¹ and the promotion of the four Licensing Objectives at all times, which are:

• Protection of Children from Harm
• Prevention of Crime and Disorder
• Prevention of Public Nuisance
• Public Safety

Members should also have regard to the Licensing Authority's Statement of Licensing Policy 2020-25.

The report also addresses the legal and risk implications of the decision.

Declarations of Interest

The committee addressed the matter of declarations of interest, as outlined in the Declarations of Interest report. Members were asked to declare any personal interest they had in any item on the agenda, in accordance with the Council's Member Code of Conduct. The code distinguishes between three types of personal interest: disclosable pecuniary interests, other registerable interests, and non-registerable interests. The report provides detailed information on these categories and the procedures for declaring interests and the impact of interests on members' participation in meetings.