To appoint a Chair for the Panel hearing.

Councillor Mier was duly appointed as Chair of the Panel for the Camber Sands Holiday Park, Camber hearing.

To authorise the Chair to sign the Minutes of the meeting of the General Licensing Panel held on 29 April 2022 as a correct record of the proceedings.

The Chair was authorised to sign the Minutes of the meeting of the General Licensing Panel held on 29 April 2022 as a correct record of the proceedings.

The following item includes material which is exempt from publication by virtue of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, and it is recommended that the press and public be excluded.  The relevant paragraph of Schedule 12A indicating the nature of the exempt information is stated after each item and is reproduced in full at the end of the agenda.  In all the circumstances of each case, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED: That the press and public be excluded whilst the matter containing exempt information, as prescribed by Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, paragraphs 1 and 7 and relating to Minute LP22/04 was under consideration. The report submitted in connection with this item that contained information exempt from publication by virtue of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act shall remain confidential if and so long as, in all the circumstances of the cases, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. 

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Service Environmental Services, Licensing and Community Safety that gave details of an application for a review of the premises licence for the Camber Sands Holiday Park, Camber relating to the failure of the Premises Licence Holder to uphold the ‘prevention of crime and disorder’ and  ‘public safety’ licensing objectives. Summary reviews could be undertaken when the Police considered that the premises concerned were associated with serious crime or serious disorder (or both).

The Chair welcomed all who were present and gave general advice regarding the hearing. The Panel then proceeded to hear the case following the adopted procedure and all parties present at the hearing were invited to address the Panel.

The Panel heard from the Senior Environmental Health Officer (Licensing) who presented the report of the Head of Service Environmental Services, Licensing and Community Safety and then from PC Buck, Sussex Police (the Applicant) who presented the case for review.

The Panel then heard from the Environmental Health Manager (Food and Safety) for the Responsible Authority and then finally from the Premises License Holder’s legal representative, Philip Kolvin QC and the Premise Licence Holder, Robert Warner.

The Panel also gave full consideration to the witness statements provided in the report by Sussex Police and the additional information supplied by the Premises Licence Holder.

The Panel deliberated the application, which was determined having regard to the licensing objectives, together with the Guidance under section 182 of the Licensing Act and the local Licensing Policy and retired to make their decision in private session. 

RESOLVED: That the Premises Licence be amended by further conditions to address the causes of the review and promote the licensing objectives of ‘prevention of crime and disorder’ and ‘public safety’ licensing objectives, as set out within the Decision Notice at Appendix 1.