1.        PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1   Prior to the recent move to Committee system, Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (in their capacity as the Crime and Disorder Reduction Committee) were keen understand the costs of managing Maidstone’s night time economy (NTE) in terms of policing, CCTV, street cleansing and licensing.

2.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2.1     The NTE brings many benefits to the borough, including employment, regeneration, creating a vibrant town centre, improving the positive perception and awareness of the borough. However it also creates the potential for problems in nightlife hotspots such as anti social behaviour, crime, waste, and alcohol related harm. However, most people drink responsibly and go home safely.

2.2     A NTE does not mean a night club economy - restaurants, pubs and cultural venues are important parts of Maidstone’s night time economy and there is support for these to be developed more in the borough to offer greater diversity and to attract a wider age range of people who are able to enjoy going out in the borough at night.

2.3     Whilst there is no standard definition for the night time economy, it is often taken to be economic activity which occurs between the hours of 6.00pm to 6.00am and involves the provision of entertainment, food, and drink usually in a social context.

2.4     However, most people would say that the night time economy is the activity takes place after 10.30 / 11.00pm.

2.5     For the purposes of this report, the focus is the cost of the night time economy in the town centre to Maidstone Borough Council and Kent Police. However, it also includes incoming business rates to outline some of its cost benefits.

3.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

3.1     This Report does not provide available options, as it provides a factual information update only on the costs associated with the NTE.

4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1     See above.

5.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

5.1     A Maidstone NTE Task and Finish group was established in June this year, bringing together partners from Kent Police and the Borough Council’s Community Safety, Licensing, Street Cleansing, Economic Development and Revenues and Benefits (business rates) teams in order to review current costs of maintaining a safe and clean town centre as part of Saturday’s NTE.

5.2     Focusing on Saturday night, the busiest night for Maidstone’s NTE, figures show that:

5.3     Based on the above figures, agencies jointly resource Maidstone’s NTE every Saturday, spending approximately £122,840.64 over a year.

5.4     Additional voluntary resources are provided through the Urban Blue bus, Street Pastors and Taxi Marshalls, which provide in excess of 4,000 hours of voluntary cover, dealing with more than 600 incidents per annum and reducing ambulance call-outs and A&E admissions due to alcohol.

5.5     Maidstone has a number of pubs and clubs which open late (up to 3 am) on Saturday, including: The Gallery, Source Bar, Dawn to Dusk, Strawberry Moons, Mu, Mu’s, Bar Chocolate, Muggletons, The Brenchley and The Society Rooms. However, these businesses impact positively on Maidstone’s economy, providing employment opportunities, alongside income through their Annual Rates payable.

5.6     On an annual basis, the above businesses raise £322,791.75 in rates, with the Borough Council receiving 40% (£129,116.70), Kent County Council 10% and the balance to government.

6.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

6.1     Although for information purposes only, the report may be useful in respect of defining the Borough Council’s future development and management of the evening and late night economies through its planning, environmental protection and licensing powers, alongside supporting Kent County Council which holds the public health remit and a duty to improve the health and wellbeing of Maidstone’s residents and it also commissions drug and alcohol services and lastly, Kent Police, which has the leading role in reducing crime and disorder.

7.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·         None

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

·         None