The Licensing and Gambling Committee of Monmouthshire County Council is scheduled to meet on Friday, 10th October, 2025. The committee will consider an application for a new premises licence, and whether to exclude the press and public from the meeting during the discussion of that application.

Application for a new premises licence: 1 Stop, 7 High Street, Chepstow

The committee will consider an application for a new premises licence for 1 Stop, located at 7 High Street, Chepstow.

Exclusion of press and public

The committee will consider excluding the press and public from the meeting during the discussion of the application for a new premises licence. According to the agenda, this is because the discussion is expected to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972¹.

A report by Taylor Watts, Licensing Officer, recommends that Paragraph 12 should apply, stating that the report contains information relating to a particular individual. Jane Rodgers, Chief Officer, has accepted this recommendation.

The report notes that there is a public interest in the process being open and transparent when councils consider applications under the Licensing Act 2003². However, it also states that:

the report contains sensitive personal information about the applicant which must remain exempt from publication.

On that basis I feel that the public interest in maintaining the exemption does outweigh the public interest in disclosing the information.

Members of the committee are asked to consider this factor when determining the public interest test.