Arun Council Agrees Shake-Up Of Licensing Powers

Powers to determine licensing applications in Arun are set to change according to a decision by the council.

At a meeting of the full council on Wednesday, November 12, members approved plans agreed at the licensing committee meeting in September, to move licensing application powers to the licensing sub-committee, according to council officers.

This includes decision making on new premises licence applications and for existing licences if objections are made to them, where previously some cases would have to be referred to the sub-committee first by the full licensing committee.

The officers said there would still be a ‘number of other functions’ outside of these decisions for the full licensing committee to take on, including licensing policy decisions.

The changes were proposed under the council’s Statement of Licensing Policy which is updated every five years, last being updated in 2020.

Other changes included in the updated policy are closing a temporary event notice loophole and allowing the council to require venues which sell alcohol to undergo Ask for Angela or Ask for Clive training for managers and staff.