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 review of the premises licence relating to the Eagle Inn, 23 Broad Street, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 7EA.

The Regulatory Sub-Committee was convened in order to determine an application for a review of a premises licence in accordance with Section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003. The Review had been applied for by West Mercia Police based on the licensing objectives regarding the prevention of crime and disorder.

The Chairman introduced the Members and Officers and asked any interested parties to introduce themselves. He advised them of the hearing procedures and then asked the Licensing Officer to present the report. The Licensing Officer advised the sub committee that

In accordance with the Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005, Mr James Mooney, representing West Mercia Police who had applied for the review, addressed the sub-committee. He made a number of points, including:

• One of the Licence conditions stated that at any time licensable activities were undertaken a personal licence holder must be on the premises.
• Since early 2010, there had been a steady increase in crime and disorder issues that were attributed to the premises and the way it had been managed.
• The police had met and discussed the issues with both the premises representatives and the appointed DPS.
• A number of incidents occurred in September and October 2010, which caused the police to make an unannounced visit to the premises on 16 October 2010.  At this time there was no personal licence holder present as required by the licence.
• During the evening of Friday/Saturday 22/23 October 2010, disorder occurred in and in the vicinity of the premises, this disorder was recorded on the council CCTV and was subject of a police investigation.
• A warning letter was hand delivered to the premises on 25 October 2010.
• There was clear evidence that the persons responsible for running the premises at this time were disregarding significant conditions of the premises licence. 
• As a consequence to these issues on 04 November 2010, a closure notice under S19 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act was served on the premises.  At the time of serving no one with a personal licence was on the premises.
• An application for a variation of the premises licence was subsequently submitted and as a result the application to review the premises licence was withdrawn on 03/12/10.
• Since the review notice was withdrawn in the region of 11 incidents have occurred, in or near the premises that gives rise for concern.
• At least 2 of these incidents involve the SIA door staff employed at the premises.  There are allegations of unprofessional behaviour and use of excessive and unnecessary force. 
• A number of further visits had been made to the premises - on these occasions’, no one with a personal licence had been found on the premises.  Additionally requests had been made to examine the incident log/book of the premises and also to obtain details of those door staff working at the premises on particular dates.  None of these records were available.
• As a result of the second review notice being served, consultation had taken place with the owner’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

To consider an application for a motor salvage operators licence.

To follow

The Licensing Officer advised the sub committee that the application would not be coming before them until a later date.