Resolved - That Councillor S Niblock be appointed Chair for this meeting.

Members are asked to consider whether they have personal or prejudicial interests in connection with any item(s) on this agenda, and, if so, to declare them and state what they are.

Members were asked to consider whether they had any personal or prejudicial interests in connection with the item on the agenda, and, if so, to declare them and state what they were.

No such declarations were made.

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management reported upon an application that had been received from Merseyside Police for the review of a Premises Licence in respect of the Seacombe Ferry, Victoria Place, Seacombe, under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003.

The premises currently has a Premises Licence and the details of the Premises Licence setting out the hours of the Licensable Activities was included in the report.

The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee may, having regard to the application for review and any relevant representations, take such of the following steps as it considered necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives:

• Modify the Conditions of the Licence.
• Exclude a licensable activity from the scope of the Licence.
• Remove the Designated Premises Supervisor.
• Suspend the Licence for a period not exceeding three months.
• Revoke the Licence.

The licensing authority may decide that no action would be necessary if it found that the review did not require it to take any steps necessary to promote the licensing objectives.

In accordance with the Licensing Act 2003, Merseyside Police had applied to review the Premises Licence for the Seacombe Ferry Hotel by way of an expedited review.  Merseyside Police considered that these premises were associated with serious crime and disorder.  Within 48 hours of receiving the application the Licensing Authority had to consider whether interim steps should be taken pending the determination of the review of the premises licence and on 2 February 2011, a meeting was held by Members of the Licensing Act 2003 Committee to consider whether interim steps should be taken.  At this time Members deemed that it was necessary to suspend the Premises Licence pending the determination of the Review.  Members of the Licensing Act 2003 Committee considered this step was necessary due to the premises being associated with serious crime and disorder.

During the determination of this interim step Members considered evidence from Merseyside Police that serious crime and disorder had occurred inside and outside the premises on Saturday, 29 January 2011.  Evidence had been provided of a large scale disturbance by individuals associated with the premises which had resulted in a number of serious injuries and a number of vehicles being damaged.  Reports had been made that weapons such as glass, bottles, planks of wood and an axe were being used during the disturbance.

Sergeant P Jenkins attended the meeting.

Mr R Taylor, Solicitor and Mr D Halton, Regional Manager, Enterprise Inns were also in attendance.

The Licensing Officer confirmed that all documentation had been sent and received.

Sergeant Jenkins gave details of the incidents which had occurred inside and outside the Premises on 29, January 2011 and informed the Sub-Committee that the Designated Premises Supervisor had left the Premises prior to this date.  The previous tenant had now been removed from the Premises and Merseyside Police now sought the imposition of conditions submitted rather than revocation of the Premises Licence.

Sergeant Jenkins responded to questions from Members of the Sub-Committee and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 90.