Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mary-Jean Devon. Sheila Johnston, Iain MacNaughton, Cath Cakebread, Catherine Dobbie and Elaine Garman.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

Joint Meeting of Argyll and Bute Licensing Board and Argyll and Bute Local Licensing Forum held on 28 September 2011

The Minutes of the Joint Meeting of Argyll and Bute Licensing Board and Argyll and Bute Local Licensing Forum held on 28 September 2011 were approved.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.  He considered it an excellent opportunity for members of the Licensing Board (LB) and Local Licensing Forum (LLF) to come together and gain an understanding of each Group’s remit with the aim of working together cohesively.

 

He introduced Kenny Harrison, Chair of the LLF who provided an update about the Forum. He informed those present on its membership and role, and that it existed to provide help and guidance to the LB which could be especially beneficial when formulating policy. 

 

The knowledge and expertise contained within the Forum membership which could provide the LB with valuable guidance and background information relating to health, licensed trade and community issues amongst others. This expertise would especially be of benefit to the LB when reviewing its Licensing Policy for 2013. He saw the LLF as existing to interpret government policy on alcohol and licensing and applying local influences and knowledge in an advisory capacity to the LB. 

 

He referred to documentation produced by West Dunbartonshire LLF which provided a model for joint working arrangements between their Forum and LB and suggested that this may form the basis for similar arrangements for joint working between Argyll and Bute’s own LLF and LB.  He welcomed the opportunity to meet members of the LB and looked forward to future meetings together.

 

The Chair thanked Mr Harrison for his update. 

 

He then introduced Susan Mair, Legal Manager, and explained that she acted in a legal capacity for both the LB and the LLF. He went on to invite each person present to introduce themselves, provide a background to their membership of either the LB or LLF and also to outline their views on alcohol and licensing.

 

Views expressed included;

 

• the production of whisky in the Argyll and Bute Council area was important to the economy
• minimum pricing would help curb excessive drinking
• the number one public health problem was lack of awareness by the general public as to safe drinking levels
• concern about increase in online purchase of alcohol
• production of “alcopops” encouraged drinking
• how to change the cultural approach, especially in the West of Scotland, towards drinking
• ensuring that licensed premises uphold rules
• ensuring closer working relationship between the LB and the licensed trade
• more regulation of supermarkets selling alcohol
• monitoring and regulation of events at which alcohol is permitted to be sold; and
• concern about the number premises within the Argyll and Bute Council area which are permitted to sell alcohol

 

It was recognised that there was a spectrum of opinion on licensing issues and that this would lead to valuable discussion at future meetings. 

 

Informal discussion then took place between members of the LB and the LLF including their areas of expertise, granting of licences to licensed premises, the recording of incidents within or close to licensed premises, license fees and the role of the Licensing Standards Officer.

 

Decision

 

The Joint Group agreed that;

 

(i)                  an email from Caroline McArthur, ADP  Information, Research & Performance Officer be circulated to the Group asking them to provide feedback on the Argyll and Bute Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (ADP) Strategy for 2013-2016;

 

(ii)                to place an Item on the next Licensing Board Agenda from Roanna Clark, Young Scot Co-ordinator seeking support for a project taking place in Argyll and Bute which had gained approval at the Scottish Youth Parliament.  The project was similar to that which operated in Poland whereby some of the country’s youth projects were funded though taxes on alcohol sales given to the Local Authority;

 

(iii)               statistics collated by the Police on alcohol related incidents be brought to future meetings of the Licensing Board;

 

(iv)               the level of fees for premises selling alcohol be discussed at a future meeting of the Licensing Board;

 

(v)                consideration be given by the Licensing Board to writing to the Scottish Government about method of recording alcohol related incidents taking place on licensed premises;

 

(vi)              to inform and consult the Local Licensing Forum on any substantive issues when reviewing the 2013 Licensing Policy; and

 

(vii)             to arrange future joint meetings of the Licensing Board and Local Licensing Forum.

 

The Chair thanked the Group for an informative meeting and that it paved the way towards joint working.