To elect a Chairman for the hearing.

Councillor JW Hope MBE was elected as Chairman for the Regulatory Sub-Committee hearing.

To receive apologies for absence.

No apologies for absence were received.

To receive details any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

There were no substitutes present at the hearing.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made.

To consider an application for a premises licence in respect of the Cusop Village Hall, Lower Mead, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford, HR3 5RW.

The Regulatory Sub-Committee was convened in order to determine an application for a new premises licence in respect of Cusop Village Hall. The application was submitted in accordance with Section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The Chairman introduced the Members and Officers and asked any interested parties to introduce themselves. He advised them of the hearing procedures and asked if any party required an extension to the 10 minute time limit for public speaking, no extensions to the time limit were required.

The Licensing Officer introduced the report and advised Members that the advertisement had been seen and was accepted. She advised Members that 3 of the representations from local residents had now been withdrawn.

In response to a question from Mr Brittan, an interested party who had submitted a representation in respect of the application, the Licensing Officer confirmed that members had not visited the site but that they had seen site plans.

Mr Brittan, a local resident who had made a representation in respect of the application, addressed the sub-committee. He addressed a number of issues, including:

• The application was open ended which could cause noise concerns for local residents.
• There were a number of senior citizens residing in the vicinity.
• Noise limiters could be circumvented.
• The decision would affect the quality of life for local residents.

Mr Wilks addressed the sub-committee in support of his application. He addressed a number of issues, including:

• The village hall trustees were disappointed to have received any complaints.
• There had been a number of public meetings where people could have raised concerns.
• Approximately 50% of local residents had helped either through financial contributions or through assisting with work on the site.
• The activity room faced away from the dwellings at Lower Mead.
• Lamps in the car park have been designed not to cause a nuisance to local residents.
• There was no application for sale of alcohol.
• All events would cease at 11:00 pm at the latest.

In response to a number of questions from members, the applicant advised that;

• the premises was a new building on a new site;
• the new site was extremely close to the old village hall site;
• the premises could only accommodate approximately 50 people.

The Sub-Committee retired to make their decision, the Democratic Services Officer and the Special Projects Lawyer retired with them to offer procedural and legal advice.

RESOLVED

That the application for a new premises licence at Cusop Villahe Hall, Lower Mead, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford, HR3 5RW, be approved subject to any conditions set out in the attached decision notice.