Councillor Barbara Lewis was elected as Chairwoman for the meeting.

To receive apologies for absence, including notifications of any changes to the membership of the Sub-Committee.

It was reported that the membership of the Sub-Committee had been amended for this meeting by including Councillor Johns instead of Councillor Tolchard.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of a Sub-Committee held on 27 July 2023.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 27 July 2023 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairwoman.

To consider an application for a Premises Licence in respect of Barton Acorn Youth, Community and Sports Centre, Lummaton Cross, Barton, Torquay.

Members considered a report on an application for a Premises Licence in respect of Barton Acorn Youth, Community and Sports Centre, Lummaton Cross, Barton, Torquay.

Written Representations were received from:

Oral Representations received from:

Decision:

That the application for a Premises Licence in respect of Barton Acorn Youth, Community and Sports Centre, Lummaton Cross, Barton, Torquay be refused.

Reasons for Decision:

Having carefully considered all the written and oral Representations, Members resolved to unanimously refuse the application.  Members considered the Applicant and the Chair of the Board of Trustees who attended the hearing to support the Applicant, to be naïve to the responsibility of holding a Premises Licence in the setting applied for, resultant in a broad application which in Members opinion, lacked the required detail and assurance, that the intended operation of the Premises Licence would uphold the Licensing Objective, ‘The Protection of Children from Harm’.

In coming to their decision, Members noted that the Applicant and the Chair of the Board of Trustees in their oral submission, stated they were willing to learn and take advice from Children’s Services. However, being granted a Premises Licence is of such a responsibility, that Members were of the unanimous opinion, any learning and advice should have been sought in advance of the application, taken on board, with a clear strategy of implementation which was reflective in the operating schedule, forming a critical part of the application to ensure the Protection of Children from Harm Licensing Objective was upheld. Especially where Members were advised by the Chair of the Board of Trustees, that the capacity of the Premises could hold around 900 persons. This re-enforced Members view that the Applicant did not understand the responsibilities of holding a Premises Licence in the setting applied for and gave them no assurance, should they have been mindful to grant the application, that children would not be harmed and that the Licensing Objective, The Protection of Children from Harm, would not be undermined.

Whilst Members noted that the Applicant, who was also the intended Designated Premises Supervisor, had previous experience as a bar manager, managing premises in Soho, London, these premises were frequented by adults only. This experience was evident, as it appeared to Members, very little consideration had been given to the wider harm children could and would be exposed to, where the application was to licence the whole of the premises, both indoors and outdoors, at times when it was possible that children and young people’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.