Agenda item

To consider a report seeking approval of the Council’s Statement of Gambling Policy before it is submitted to Council for adoption.

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.

At its meeting on 16 March 2016 the Committee had considered a draft revised Statement. The draft Statement had subsequently been subject to a 12 week public consultation, which had taken place between 18 March and 12 June 2016. One consultation response had been received.

The Committee was informed that a significant material change had been made to the draft Statement following the consultation by incorporating amendments brought about by the Gambling Commission’s new Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP), which had come into effect in April 2016.  This insertion concerned the requirement for gambling premises to undertake a local risk assessment.

It was reported that the Council’s legal officers had suggested a couple of minor typographical amendments, which the Committee agreed to incorporate in the final document.

RECOMMEDED that the Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Policy – 5 October 2016 to 4 October 2019, as attached at Annex A to these minutes, be adopted.