Agenda item

The Committee was reminded that the Council, as a licensing authority, had a duty to undertake various regulatory functions imposed by the provisions of the Gambling Act 2005 and before exercising these functions it must first adopt a Statement of Policy indicating how the functions would be exercised. This Statement required review every 3 years from date of adoption.

At its meeting on 20 October 2021 the Committee had considered a draft revised statement. The draft Statement had subsequently been subject to a public consultation, which had taken place between 8 November and 19 December.

The Committee was informed that the draft statement of principles incorporated amendments which were included as a result of the Gambling Commission’s Guidance to licensing authorities, which was last published in April 2021.

It was noted that once approved the Council was required to publish a notice of its intention to publish a new Statement of Policy. The policy would then come into effect four weeks later.

The Committee raised grievances that the Council, as the Licensing Authority, did not have powers to enforce the barring of local individuals from gambling premises, where it had ascertained that they were struggling with a gambling problem. Whilst it was acknowledged that in such a scenario the Council could redirect the individual to services such as the National Gambling Helpline, the Committee agreed that the Council should lobby the borough’s Member of Parliament to devolve greater powers to local authorities to deal with such cases. Whilst the Committee noted that it was not within the Committee’s terms of reference to enter into the Council’s policy on such national issues, it resolved to note its desire for a letter to be written, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Licensing Committee, to the local Member of Parliament detailing the raised concerns.

RESOLVED that

                     I.        full Council be recommended that the revised Statement of Principles 2022-2025 (SoP) in relation to exercising functions under the Gambling Act 2005 be adopted; and;

                    II.        support for the writing of a letter to the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, to lobby for greater devolved powers to combat problem-gambling, be noted.