Agenda item

To consider a report detailing the revised draft Statement of Gambling Principles following consultation.

Following on from the Licensing Committee meeting held on 20th July 2015 where Members approved, for the purpose of consultation, the draft Statement of Principles.  Members were asked to consider the responses received to the consultation and the changes incorporated into the draft Statement of Principles as a result of those responses.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS), presented the report and in doing so drew Members’ attention to the responses received from the Gambling Commission, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service and Coral Racing Limited, as detailed at Appendices 1, 2 and 3 to the report. 

Several productive meetings had taken place with WRS and the Gambling Commission.  The Gambling Commission were more than happy with their input and their suggested changes being incorporated into the draft Statement of Principles.

Members were further informed that the suggestions made by the Gambling Commission had been incorporated into the draft Statement of Principles, as detailed at Appendix 4 to the report.  These included:-

·         A new section that set out the Council’s intention to develop a ‘Local Area Profile’, as detailed in section 3.0 of the draft Statement of Principles.

·         Guidance for operators on the matters that the Council believed they should consider when compiling their own local risk assessments.  This will be a requirement from 6th April 2016, as detailed in section 9.0 of the draft Statement of Principles.

·         Further detail in relation to the way the Council would approach its enforcement and compliance role under the Gambling Act 2005, as detailed in sections 19.6 and 19.7 of the draft Statement of Principles

In response to the Chair, the Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, informed the Committee that, with regard to the development of a ‘Local Area Profile’, WRS would work with other authorities within Worcestershire, the West Midlands conurbation and nationally to see what other partners were doing and to share ideas in order to develop a ‘Local Area Profile’.

Section 9.2 of the draft Statement of Principles highlighted the areas that the Council would expect operators to consider in their local risk assessments.

In order to ensure compliance with the law the Council would prepare a risk based Inspection Programme and would carry out regular ‘routine’ day time programmed inspections, as detailed in sections 19.6 and 19.7 of the draft Statement of Principles.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, responded to Members’ questions and informed the Committee that all relevant trade organisations had been consulted with and that only Coral Racing Limited had responded.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, noted Members comments and suggestions with regard to:-

·         Proof reading the draft Statement of Principles, as there were some inconsistencies.

·         Remove the word ‘villages’ in the introduction section.

·         Check the map, as detailed at Appendix A to the report, which showed Oakenshaw North and Oakenshaw South, as the ward area was Oakenshaw.

Councillor A Fry stated that WRS officers had done a really good job with the report presented and the work carried out on the draft Statement of Principles.

RECOMMENDED that

the amendments as detailed in the preamble above be incorporated into the draft Statement of Principles and that Council approve and publish the amended Statement of Principles by 31st January 2016.