Agenda item

Report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services which updated Members on the outcome of the 6 week consultation undertaken on the review of the Council’s Statement of Gambling Policy for the Gambling Act 2005 and to recommend for approval, a revised policy for the period 2022 – 2025.

The Gambling Act required each licensing authority to prepare and publish a Statement of Gambling Policy.  The policy statement sets out how the licensing authority intends to approach its licensing responsibilities and in particular how it intends to promote the three licensing objectives.  The current Gambling Policy came into effect on 3rd January 2019, to cover a period up to 31st January 2022.  This policy must be renewed every three years and be subject to a full consultation process.  Cabinet Member (Policing and Equalities) on 22nd July 2021 and the Licensing and Regulatory Committee on 27th July 2021, considered a report on the draft revised Gambling Policy and authorised the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services to consult on its contents (minutes 4/21 and 11/21 respectively refer).

This report advised Members of the consultation that had taken place and outlined the comments received and amendments made to the Council’s draft Gambling Policy.  There were no major changes to the Policy except some minor wording amendments.  The general principles of the Gambling Policy remained the same and the document was still centred around the Gambling Act's three licensing objectives, namely: 

•  Preventing gambling from being a source of crime and disorder, being associated with crime and disorder or being used to support crime;

•  Ensure gambling is conducted in a fair and open way; and

•  Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

Following public consultation, the revised draft Statement of Gambling Policy was now ready to be recommended for adoption to take effect from 31st January 2022 (Appendix A).  The public consultation exercise finished on 13th September 2021, and included the following elements: -

•  Mail shots to operators

•  Notification to the responsible authorities

•  Mail shots to trade organisations and religious organisations

•  Wider public consultation through the city council’s website

All statutory consultees had received a full copy of the draft Gambling Policy and notification of the draft policy was given to all Council Members and Parish Councils.  The draft policy was also made available on the council’s website from 2nd August 2021 to 13th September 2021 and was sent to all licensed businesses, Responsible Authorities, resident associations and other public consultees as set out in the policy inviting them to comment.

Three responses had been received to the consultation and these were summarised in Appendix B to the report.  After considering these comments it was proposed that no further changes were required for the policy, and the reasoning for this was also outlined in Appendix B to the report.  Therefore, the only proposed changes to the policy were minor wording amendments. 

The revised Statement of Gambling Policy must be published by 3rd January 2022, allowing the Council to continue to carry out any function in respect of applications made under the authority of the Gambling Act 2005 after 31st January 2022.

The Cabinet Member and the Shadow Cabinet Member discussed with officers the consultation and responses noting that there were no major changes proposed.

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities: -

1.  Considering the results of the consultation, and the proposed changes on the revised Statement of Gambling Policy for the period 2022 – 2025 and any comments from the Licensing and Regulatory Committee and

2.  Recommend to Council that it adopts the revised Statement of Gambling Policy attached as Appendix A of the report.