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Licensing Act Committee
Tuesday, 6th October 2026 at 6:00pm

 

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  1. Cllr Anita Jones
  2. Cllr Anita Jones
  3. Microphone B
  4. Cllr Anita Jones
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  1. Cllr Polly Blakemore
  2. Cllr Anita Jones
  3. Cllr Anita Jones
  4. Cllr Paul Thomas
  5. Cllr Anita Jones
  6. Cllr Paul Thomas
  7. Cllr Anita Jones
  8. Folkestone & Hythe Officer
  9. Cllr Paul Thomas
  10. Cllr Anita Jones
  11. Folkestone & Hythe Officer
  12. Cllr Jennifer Hollingsbee
  13. Cllr Anita Jones
  14. Cllr Anita Jones
  15. Cllr Jennifer Hollingsbee
  16. Cllr Anita Jones
  17. Microphone B
  18. Webcast Finished

Cllr Anita Jones - 0:00:00
This meeting will be webcast live to the internet.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:00:04
For those who do not wish to be recorded or filmed,
you will need to leave the chamber.
For members, officers, and others speaking at the meeting,
it's important that microphones are used
so viewers on the webcast and others in the room
may hear you.
Would anyone with a mobile phone please switch it
to silent mode, as they can be distracting.
I would like to remind members that although we all
have strong opinions on matters under consideration,
it is important to treat members, officers,
and public speakers with respect.
Thank you.
So item one on the agenda, apologies for absence.
Thank you, Chair.
Microphone B - 0:00:36
Yes, we've received apologies from Councillors Mead
and Fuller.
Thank you.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:00:41
Moving to item two, declarations of interest.
Do we have any declarations?
No?

2 Declarations of Interest

OK.
So item three, minutes of the meeting held on 16th of June,
2026.

3 Minutes

Are we all happy to approve those?

4 Statement of Licensing Policy 2026-2031

Agreed. Thank you. And we'll move on to item 4, the statement of licencing policy 2026 -2031.
So I believe Councillor Polly Blakemore is going to introduce this.
Cllr Polly Blakemore - 0:01:17
Thank you, Chair. As the local licencing authority, the council is required, according to
the Licencing Act 2003, to publish a statement of licencing policy which must be reviewed on a five
This new draught statement was prepared and presented
to this committee in June.
It was then published for the eight week statutory
public consultation starting on the 6th of July.
This report presents the outcome of that consultation.
You'll remember that the new policy is predominantly
based on the existing policy and this is for three reasons.
Firstly, the existing policy was comprehensively reviewed
five years ago and during this period,
no significant issues have been identified
that require substantive revision.
Secondly, there have been minimal legislative changes
since the last update, and thirdly, consistency
in the statement benefits the public, licensees,
and us as counsellors serving
on the Licencing Act subcommittee.
A small number of changes to the new policy
are listed at paragraph 1 .4, and include an update
on cumulative impact zones and adult entertainment.
The list of statutory consultees can be found
at paragraph 2 .2.
Just one response was received during the consultation,
and that was from our own planning department.
Their revisions include clarification on use classes
and the types of premises requiring planning permission
for a change of use and an updated web link.
The statement is now in final draught form.
The recommendations are, one, to receive a note of the report,
and two, to approve the final draught of the statement
of Licencing Policy 2026 to 2031 to be submitted to full council for final approval.
And I'd like to move the recommendations.
Thank you.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:03:05
And would anybody like to speak on this?
Councillor Mike Bakewell.
Seconded.
Lovely.
Would anybody like to make any comments?
Councillor Thomas.
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:03:13
Yeah, thank you, Chair.
Cllr Paul Thomas - 0:03:19
Just in terms of part 2 .9 and 2 .94 on cumulative impact zones, we note in there that there's none in the district.
At licencing panels, we have talked about them previously.
I just wonder whether for clarification, it'd be worthwhile either in definitions or within there somewhere
to make sure that we define what a cumulative impact zone is.
And again, I think that will help people to understand how cumulative impact zones could be applied in the future, if that makes sense.
So defining cumulative impact zones, I think would be a positive aspect to change this, but no other changes, thank you.
Thank you. Can you just point which page was that on just so that everybody can have a look?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:04:11
Page 15 and 16, 2 .94, 2 .95.
Cllr Paul Thomas - 0:04:41
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:04:43
So that's page 27 in the pack.
Thank you.
And did any officers want to come back on that at all?
Thank you.
Folkestone & Hythe Officer - 0:05:04
One of the changes was to actually amend the policy to give a better description of the
cumulative impact zone and how it would be operated and the process, particularly the
by which this committee would be involved in any setting of a community
that bears zone and assessment. So if, and you feel that it could do a better
definition or? Yeah, again, if I may, Chair. Having looked around at other
policies from other councils, they've, you know, they've defined it as a
of licence premises is considered to be causing problems, so linked to licencing objectives.
So that's the kind of definition that other councils will put into their licencing policy,
just to make it clear, you know, why a community impact zone could be considered, for example.
Thank you, Chair.
I'll just, sorry, I'll refer to sort of 2 .9 .2.
It says, the reasons for introducing
cumulative impact assessment are when the cumulative impact
of the number type and density of premises
in a particular area, e .g. a town centre,
leads them to become a focal point
for large groups of people resulting in severe
or chronic problems of public nuisance,
antisocial behaviour, or alcohol -related problems.
and then it goes on to explain how the zone,
the impact assessment would take place.
I'm very happy to expand on that if you feel that's necessary.
But we have got a definition in there which I think covers.
If I may, Chair.
Again, I think linking it to the licencing objectives I think would be handy because again,
and you know, where it talks about chronic problems
of public nuisance, antisocial behaviour,
or other alcohol -related problems.
I think if we could link that to the licencing objectives,
it would be clearer in terms of what we might consider
at some point in the future for setting up a cumulative impact.
So that's all.
Thank you.
Thank you, Chair.
I'm happy to make that change.
Cllr Paul Thomas - 0:07:21
Thank you.
And are there any other suggestions of changes,
Folkestone & Hythe Officer - 0:07:25
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:07:25
or are we happy to go with the recommendations?
Do we have a proposer?
Cllr Jennifer Hollingsbee - 0:07:35
So that'd be Councillor Polly Blakemore,
and I think Councillor Mike Blakemore had already seconded,
and are we all in favour?
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:07:41
Cllr Jennifer Hollingsbee - 0:07:43
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:07:43
Thank you, that's seven in favour.
Thank you, so that's passed.
Microphone B - 0:07:52
Cllr Anita Jones - 0:07:52
Thank you very much, and I think that ends this meeting.