Dundee Licensing Forum - 02/12/2014

At a MEETING of the DUNDEE LICENSING FORUM held at Dundee on 2nd December, 2014.

 

Present:-

 

Licensing Forum

 

Mr Sandy KINGSTON, DUSA

Mr Paul KING, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service

Mr Dominic ANDERSON, Licence Holder

Mr Jonathan STEWART, Licence Holder

Mr Garvie JAMIESON, Community Representative

Ms Yvonne TOSH, Community Representative

Dr Lucy DENVIR, NHS

Mr Simon GOULDING, LSO

Mr Graeme PETRIE, LSO

Mr Blair FINLAY, Public Health Improvement Officer, DCC

Mr Eric KNOX, Tayside Council on Alcohol

Ms Liz McKAY, Community Safety Manager, DCC

Ms Vered Hopkins, ADP

Mr Iain BETHANY, Police Scotland

 

Dundee Licensing Board

 

Depute Lord Provost Christina ROBERTS

Councillor David BOWES

 

In attendance

 

John McDONALD, Dundee City Council, Legal

 

Also present

 

(Licence Holders):-

Elizabeth Millar, Olly Blake, Ron Duncan, Hugh Gray, John Justice, Jonathan Stewart (Speedwell Bar), Khalid Farooz, Rehana Begum, Eddie Tobin, Jonathan Stewart (Counting House), Linda Hodes and Steven Bremner. (Apologies intimated from Mark McFarlane and David Glass).

 

Andy Burns, Street Chaplain.

 

Jonathan Stewart, in the Chair.

 

I WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

I WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and invited them to introduce themselves. He also reminded the Forum of the Licensing Objectives and made reference to the recent news of Dundee inclusion as a UNESCO City of Culture.

 

He also reported on news stories in the local and trade press since the previous meeting, some of which related to matters already on the agenda.

 

II APOLOGIES

 

Apologies were intimated from Craig Somers, Laura Kerr, Paul Howie, Melissa Gorman and Councillor Brian Gordon.

 

III MEMBERSHIP

 

The Chairman welcomed the large turnout of licence holders to the Forum. In view of the fact that in terms of the legislation, there was a limit on formal membership, it was agreed that all licence holders who had expressed an interest be sent agendas of all future meetings with an invitation to attend if they so wished.

 

IV MINUTE OF MEETING OF DUNDEE LICENSING FORUM OF 2ND SEPTEMBER, 2014

 

The minute of meeting of 3rd June, 2014 was submitted and approved, subject to the substitution of Dr Lucy Denver as Chair.

 

V CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE - IMPACT OF ALCOHOL ABUSE

 

Reference was made to recent articles in the local press relative to the above. Vered Hopkins advised that figures relating to Dundee were available and could be circulated. In addition, she could circulate information from a recent SALSAL study regarding drinking, smoking and drug use among 13 to 15 year olds.

 

It was unclear where the local press had obtained their information and Vered undertook to contact them in this connection. Whilst it was clear that there was a problem, much was being done in schools, and through the Community Safety Partnership.

 

The particular influence of parental alcohol use was raised and it was noted that historically this was higher in Dundee than most areas. The sale of cheap alcohol in supermarkets was seen as a significant contributing factor.

 

VI TRAINING BY ALCOHOL FOCUS SCOTLAND

 

It was reported that Alcohol Focus Scotland proposed to deliver a half day training session in late February/early March 2015. Information was requested, from members regarding possible content.

 

VII SAFETY BUS - UPDATE

 

Eric Knox gave a brief outline of the safety bus project. It was reported that the bus would be in situ on several dates over the Christmas/New Year period, and then every weekend from 1st February, 2015 for the next 3 years.

 

It was reported that people presented a variety of issues, and licensed premises were in general very responsive to working with the project.

 

The project was looking for a licence holder to site on the steering group and Linda Hodes from G Casino expressed possible interest.

 

VIII TAXI MARSHALS - UPDATE

 

It was reported that the City Council was presently recruiting for taxi marshals. However, their role would be primarily that of directing taxis into appropriate parking spaces/ranks, rather than a public safety role.

 

IX A O C B

 

(a) PERSONAL LICENCES REFRESHER TRAINING

 

It was stressed that it was vital that licence holders undertake the necessary refresher training and report as required to the Board; otherwise premises would risk losing their licences.

 

(b) LEGAL HIGHS

 

Whilst it was noted that this was not a licensing matter, it was clear that the taking of legal highs, or new psychoactive substances (NPS) and often went hand in hand with excessive alcohol consumption. Vered Hopkins advised that she would circulate a report which had recently been published on this subject.

 

X DATE OF NEXT MEETING

 

To be advised.