Agenda item - Late Night Levy

Report of the Director of Public Health (copy attached)

7.1.       The Lawyer to the Committee informed the meeting that there was a need to correct the report and to take out recommendation 2.3 as it was not appropriate at this point in time.  She therefore asked the Committee to note the information.

7.2.       The Senior Technical Officer introduced the report, which detailed the proposed policy position of Brighton & Hove City Council as Licensing Authority in regard to Late Night Levy (LNL).  She noted that the LNL was the power conferred on licensing authorities which enabled them to charge an annual levy to persons who are licensed sell alcohol late at night in the authority’s area, as a means of raising a contribution towards the cost of policing the late-night economy.  She also noted that there would be a need to go out to consultation on a proposal to introduce a levy and it was intended to report the outcome to the Committee in March 2016.

7.3.       Members of the Committee noted the information and queried whether the levy had to be applied to the whole of the licensing authority’s area and whether the income generated would be used to support current police operational activities or enable increased activities.  Members also queried whether the Police & Crime Commissioner was obliged to re-invest the income from the levy in Brighton and Hove.

7.4.       The Senior Technical Officer stated that should the levy be introduced it would have to be applied across the licensing authority’s area as there was no flexibility to exclude certain areas.

7.5.       Inspector Woolford informed the Committee that the Chief Constable had agreed that any income from a levy would only be used within the Brighton and Hove area.  She also noted that any such income would be used more for preventative measures rather than operational ones e.g. street pastors or safe havens.

7.6.       The Director of Public Health stated that he anticipated any income from a levy would be used to provide additional support at night such as providing a safe space and discussions would be held with the police to determine the best use of the resources.

7.7.       The Committee noted that if a levy was introduced it could then result in premises seeking to vary their licences so as not to be caught by the levy.  Councillor Horan asked if further information could be obtained on how this had impacted other authorities that had introduced a levy.

7.8.       Members of the Committee expressed their concerns about the impact of a levy and whether the income would be used within the licensing area to support various initiatives and the potential additional cost it would have for those premises operating between midnight and 6am.  It was therefore felt that further information was required and that a report should be brought to the November Committee meeting in the first instance.

7.9.       The Director of Public Health stated that he was happy to bring a report back to the next meeting on the consultation process so that the committee could then determine whether or not to go out to consultation and then take a decision in March.

7.10.    RESOLVED:

(1)       That officers be charged with investigating further the possibility of consulting on a proposal for a Late Night Levy (LNL),

(2)       That officers report to the Committee in November 2015 on consultation cost, design and methodology for the LNL and for the committee to decide whether to go ahead with consultation.