I gave evidence on Tuesday to the House of Commons Bill Committee, dealing with the Policing and Crime Bill.

My evidence concentrated on licensing and I was able to get the following key points across:
– local people feel that they have too little say over premises which are causing a nuisance
– councils need local discretion over general licensing conditions – these should not be imposed by Whitehall which cannot know local circumstances
– councils need to be able to challenge licences (currently only the police can do this)
– too much of the legislation was aimed at young people rather than those in their twenties and thirties who cause alcohol-fuelled disruption and should know better
– if the Government were to press ahead with standard conditions for licences, it was vital that there be full consultation with residents who are affected (not just organisations). Young people also needed to be involved.

I was also asked about whether the problem was more with pubs or off sales. It is clear to me that in general pubs are well-regulated places. Supermarket off sales often contributed to the habit of ‘pre-loading’ (tanking up at home before an evening out on the town).

I was able to emphasise that good licensing authorities like St Albans work closely with the licensees because it is in the interest of the community and of the trade to work together.

The LGA had also put in submissions opposing the current system of temporary event notices (a loophole in the 2003 Act device by which licensed premises can in effect subvert their licensing conditions twelve times a year). The LGA also questioned the new rules about lap-dancing which would allow establishments to operate without a sexual encounter premises licence provided that lap-dancing took place less than once a month.