Resolved – That Councillor David Burgess-Joyce be appointed Chair for this meeting.

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.

Members of the Panel were 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.

No such declarations were made.

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application that had been received from Merseyside Police for a Review of a Premises Licence in respect of Platinum Bar, Conway Street, Birkenhead, under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003. 

The Licensing Manager outlined the report and advised that the Licensing Panel may, having regard to the application for the Review and any relevant representations, take such of the following steps as it considered appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives:

·  To 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; or

·  Revoke the Licence

Members were informed that the Licensing Authority may decide that no action would be appropriate if it found that the review did not require it to take any steps that were appropriate to promote the licensing objectives.

It was reported that the premises currently hold a Premises Licence allowing the licensable activities as set out within the report.

The Licensing Panel were informed that following a Summary Review in November 2021 the Premises Licence had been suspended with immediate effect on 5 November 2021 as an interim step to prevent any further serious crime and disorder occurring at the premises.  It was further reported that upon consideration of the review of the Premises Licence on 26 November 2021, the Licensing Panel had determined that the suspension of the Premises Licence be lifted and that the Premises Licence be modified as outlined within the report.

It was reported that this application to review the Premises Licence had been initiated by Merseyside Police due to further incidents of violence occurring at the premises since the determination of the Summary Review on 26 November 2021, Merseyside Police also had concerns in respect of the management’s control of the premises.  It was reported that Merseyside Police considered that the occurrence of these incidents was undermining the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the prevention of public nuisance.

In respect of the review application, a representation had been received from the Licensing Authority who supported the application to review the Premises Licence by Merseyside Police due to a number of concerns relating to the premises, including breaches of the Premises Licence conditions.  A copy of the representation was available.

Merseyside Police were represented at the Hearing by a Licensing Officer and a Police Constable.

The Designated Premises Supervisor attended the meeting together with a Licensing Consultant and aprospective Designated Premises Supervisor/General Manager.

Merseyside Police requested the submission of still images of CCTV footage from the premises.  The Licensing Panel were made aware that Merseyside Police had provided the opportunity to the Premises Licence Holder to view their own CCTV images from which the still images had been obtained. Authorisation for this submission was sought from the Premises Licence Holder and his representative. Following some discussion, it was accepted that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.