RESOLVED: That Councillor Andrew Hodson be appointed Chair for this Hearing.

Members of the Licensing Panel are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non pecuniary interests, in connection with any application on the agenda and state the nature of the interest.

Councillor James Stewart Laing declared a personal interest in that a resident who had attended the meeting to speak used to teach his son. 

The applicant and the applicant’s agent, in response to the declaration, were content for Councillor Stewart Laing to remain on the Sub-Committee and hear the application.

The Licensing Manager introduced the report of the Director of Law and Corporate Services which related to an application for a Premises Licence under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003. The application was made by Chanmugam Dhayaparan and related to the premises known as AK Food and Wine, 66 Grove Road, Wallasey, CH45 3HW.

The applicant had submitted an operating schedule setting out how the business would be conducted/managed in accordance with the four licensing objectives. A copy of the full application had been provided to Members. Members were advised that the proposals set out in the operating schedule may become conditions of the licence should the application be granted. 

In respect of the application 17 representations had been received from local residents, one from a Ward Councillor and none from the responsible authorities. The representations related to concerns of anti-social behaviour, the number of premises selling alcohol in the area, the proximity of vulnerable people residing nearby and the proximity of Harrison Park which suffers from incidents of underage drinking and low level anti-social behaviour.  Copies of the representations had been provided to Members.

The applicant, his son and his agent attended the meeting.  Local residents and the Ward Councillor were also in attendance.

The Licensing Manager confirmed that all documentation had been sent and received and outlined the report.

The applicant’s agent addressed the Sub-Committee and advised that this was an application for a Premises Licence to support a new convenience store in a premises very close to the applicant’s home. The agent reported that the premises would sell a wide range of products and that alcohol sales were to be part of the business.  The staffing was detailed with two staff intended to be present in busier times. The applicant had run a similar store in Rock Ferry and that premises had a clean record for licence violations and problems locally, and would be the Designated Premises Supervisor for the premises. Reference was made to the licensing conditions  which were being offered and which included 8 CCTV cameras, regular staff training and litter picking. The Responsible Authorities had been consulted and had not objected to the application. The Applicant had also sought to contact the objectors to discuss the application but these discussions had not taken place. The applicant’s agent acknowledged the fear of anti-social behaviour and parking problems raised but noted there was no evidence in respect of this.

In response to questions from Members of the Sub-Committee and the legal advisor to the Sub-Committee, the applicant provided details about who would be working in the store and their working hours. The Applicant emphasised that they lived 30 seconds walk away from the premises. They also provided details about training, which would be provided by the Applicant’s Agent annually for all staff, with training records being kept at the premises. The Applicant also answered questions on litter picking and confirmed that they did not have any link with the residence above the shop which had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.