Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Gloucester Square, Woking, Surrey GU21 6YL

Contact: Doug Davern  on 01483 743018 or email  doug.davern@woking.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee B held on 20 November 2018 as published.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That the minutes of the Sub-Committee held on 20 November 2018 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.

2.

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no Declarations of Interest.

3.

Urgent Business

To consider any business that the Chairman rules may be dealt with under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

There were no items of Urgent Business.

4.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

“That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of item 5 in view of the nature of the proceedings that, if members of the press and public were present during this item, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A, to the Local Government Act 1972.

 

Paragraph 3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).”

 

PART II – PRESS AND PUBLIC EXCLUDED

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of item 5 in view of the nature of the proceedings that, if members of the press and public were present during this item, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A, to the Local Government Act 1982.

5.

Review of a Premises Licence - The Pound, 12 Chertsey Road, Woking

Reporting Person – Matt Cobb

Minutes:

(Note:  Councillor Ali arrived at the meeting shortly after the Review hearing had begun as he had been delayed and was therefore unable to take part in the deliberation of the item, which was heard by Councillors Harlow and Howard.)

The Sub-Committee had before it a report regarding an application by Surrey Police for a Review of the Premises Licence held by The Pound, 12 Chertsey Road, Woking.  Geanine Crowley attended the meeting to represent Surrey Police along with Sergeant Gemma Taylor and Constable Tony Charles.  Representations had also been received from the Child Employment Enforcement and Strategy Officer at Surrey County Council and a local business owner.  The Premises Licence Holder, Neil Young, attended the meeting to represent The Pound. 

All parties present had a copy of the Licensing Committee’s agreed procedure to be followed at Licensing Sub-Committee hearings.  The Chairman introduced Members of the Sub-Committee and outlined the order of speaking which would be followed at the hearing.

The Licensing Authority’s representative, Matthew Cobb, advised the Sub-Committee that the current licensed hours of operation were set out at paragraph 2.2 of the report.  Mr Cobb stated that Mr Young had taken on the Premises Licence in 2015 and following a refurbishment re-opened the premises in November of that year.  A further refurbishment was undertaken in 2016 to re-brand the premises as ‘The Pound’ with the aim of becoming a ‘low cost local’.  In January 2017, following a complaint from a local business owner regarding anti-social behaviour, a meeting was held between the premises and Surrey Police aimed at resolving and preventing further issues.  In April 2018 the premises changes its Designated Premises Supervisor and in January 2019 the Review application was submitted by Surrey Police.

The Chairman gave Ms Crowley the opportunity to address the Sub-Committee.  Ms Crowley stated that the Review had been called on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder and the protection of children from harm.  It was stated that the premises had failed a test purchase operation on 18 October 2018 where alcohol had been sold to underage persons, with no refusals log in place, and that there were a number of concerns over how the premises was being run.  It was stated that there had been a number of violent and drug offences occurring in the premises or in close proximity to it, including on 13 September 2018 when a young person of 15 years old who had been inside the premises sold drugs to a customer at the entrance of the premises.  Concern was expressed over the ability of the current Designated Premises Supervisor to uphold the licensing objectives and manage the pub.  Surrey Police’s Child Exploitation Team had been investigating the venue as fifteen year old girls classified as at risk of exploitation had been found inside the venue, with instances of children classified as missing being located inside.  The Sub-Committee was shown CCTV footage of a person handing the Designated Premises Supervisor a package which was put  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.