Licensing Act Committee - 4 September 2025

The Licensing Act Committee began the session with a declaration that no members had any interest in the matters to be discussed. Formal motions were passed to approve the minutes of the main Committee meeting held on 5 June 2025, the minutes of the Licensing Act Sub‑Committee between 11 June and 6 August 2025, and the minutes of the Street Trading and Pavement Licensing Sub‑Committee between 25 June and 30 July 2025. All three motions were moved and seconded by the indicated councillors and were resolved without amendment.

The Committee then considered a report presented by the Principal Licensing Practitioner (Policy), which reviewed responses to a public consultation on the revised licensing policy. The report sought the Committee’s endorsement of the consultation feedback, the Licensing Service’s comments on that feedback, and a recommendation that the revised policy be forwarded to the full Council for approval, either as‑is or with further amendments. The Practitioner provided a detailed, page‑by‑page explanation of the proposed changes, and officers answered questions concerning applicant information requirements and a proposed addition to condition 3 of the policy.

During the debate several procedural improvements were suggested. Members recommended that the notice to applicants submitting Temporary Event Notices be printed in bold to highlight the requirement to obtain permission for any Cornwall Council‑owned land. A typographical error in a paragraph attributed to Liskeard Town Council (page 16 of the report pack) was identified and corrected to read “although glow sticks are plastic and single use.” In addition, it was proposed that a warning about potential offences under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (page 27) also be presented in bold type.

The Committee resolved, by motion moved by Councillor Clemens and seconded by Councillor Cador, to note the consultation responses, endorse the Licensing Service’s comments, and formally recommend to the full Council that the revised policy be approved with three specific amendments: (1) the insertion of an additional paragraph to condition 3 stating that “a copy of the Consent must be produced on demand to an authorised officer of Cornwall Council or a Police Officer”; (2) the use of bold text for the temporary‑event‑notice permission notice; and (3) the correction of the typo concerning glow sticks. These resolutions were adopted unanimously.