Licensing reforms brings power to the people

Published: 01 December, 2010

Councils will be granted new powers to tackle problem pubs and clubs as part of Home Office plans which also gives the public a greater influence on local licensing decisions.

The new licensing reforms, unveiled by Home Secretary Theresa May today (December 1), puts the public at the heart of policing in a major shift of power that moves decision-making out of Whitehall and into the hands of local communities.

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill, which will now start its passage through Parliament, includes plans for the first ever local election to appoint new Police and Crime Commissioners who would set local policing priorities and hold chief constables to account.

Under the reforms, the public will be granted a stronger influence on local licensing decisions by allowing everyone to comment on licensing applications - not just those living close to premises.

The Bill includes plans to allow local authorities to impose taxes on late-night on-trade venues to pay for extra policing and to double fines for venues that persistently sell to the under-18s to £20,000.

Following a consultation in the summer, the plans also include the removal of proposals to change the appeals process for licensing hearings.

In its announcement of the policing reforms, the government confirmed its committment to scraping the unused alcohol disorder zones and reviewing the alcohol mandatory code within 12 months of its introduction.

May said: "For too long, the fight against crime has been tangled up in a web of centrally imposed red tape that has driven a wedge between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. I am determined to rebalance that by giving the public and the police and councils the powers they need to deal with the issues that blight too many of our communities."

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