Agenda and draft minutes

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Items
No. Item

11.

Disclosures by Members and Officers

Minutes:

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

 

12.

Disclosures of Lobbying

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of lobbying.

 

13.

To consider whether any items should be taken in private because of the possible disclosure of exempt information

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That the items on the Agenda be taken in public as proposed.

 

14.

Report of the Head of Housing and Community Services - Bearsted Football Club, Honey Lane, Otham, Kent pdf icon PDF 107 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman requested those present to introduce themselves, all parties were advised of the procedures, and Members confirmed they had read all the papers.

 

It was confirmed that no draft conditions had been agreed between the applicant and objectors, no witnesses were to be called, and all present wished to speak on the item.

 

Mr Duncan Andrews, Chairman of Bearsted Football Club, explained that the application had been submitted by the catering Manager, Mrs Lesley Stevens. The club had been a part of Otham for twenty years, and use of the space had been secured by lease for a further twenty years. The new lease granted the club exclusive use of the grounds. These had been improved with flood lights and a stand, which prevented the club from being relegated from its league. The league also requested the provision of refreshments during matches. All other clubs in the league were able to sell alcohol, and so the application if approved would bring Bearsted Football Club in line with the rest of the league.

 

Mr Andrews stated that, in order to demonstrate the Club’s intention to improve relations with Otham, the Club would appoint identifiable stewards to monitor the vehicles leaving the grounds; stewards on the exit and entrance to the club house would ensure that drinks remained within the building; that alcohol would only be provided after noon; and that drive slowly signs would be erected.

 

Councillor Dr Robin Gardner, representing Otham Parish Council, asked what the connection was between alcohol and fitness. Mr Andrews responded that the club needed to provide the expected facilities that all the other clubs in the league provided, and that the same argument could be made about any football club or pub with a football side.

 

Ms Teresa Irving, clerk to Otham Parish Council, stated that complaints had been received regarding breaches of conditions where the pitches and changing rooms were not being used within agreed times. Mr Andrews explained that the landlord had sublet the pitches to other organisations to play outside of the current conditions, but that the new lease ensured that the conditions would no longer be abused, as only Bearsted Football Club had rights to use the grounds.

 

At this point in the proceedings the Legal Advisor clarified that the issue previously raised related to planning enforcement, which was not within the remit of the Licensing Act 2003 sub-Committee, and the regimes could not be duplicated. The panel could only consider the application in regard to licensing conditions. It was also confirmed that public health issues were not included within the Licensing Act 2003 sub-Committee in England, but public safety was.

 

Councillor Mrs Stella Trench of Otham Parish Council asked why the applicant was now happy to amend the start time for sale of alcohol to noon. Mr Andrews answered that Mrs Stevens who had completed the application had contacted the Licensing team, who advised that most applications applied from 8 a.m. onwards, however 12 p.m. noon was all  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.