New Licensing Policy consultation – Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment
Feedback updated 1 Apr 2022
We asked
In accordance with the Licensing Act 2003, Buckinghamshire Council, in its role as licensing authority, is responsible for authorising the sale and supply of alcohol and the provision of regulated entertainment and late night refreshment.
The Licensing Authority has a legal obligation to publish a licensing policy statement which sets out its approach to promoting the licensing objectives when performing its licensing functions.
A licensing policy statement must be published every five years under the Licensing Act, following a period of formal consultation and review.
The public consultation on the draft policy ran from Friday 27 August to midnight on Sunday 26 September 2021.
You said
We received 110 survey responses and 4 written responses to the consultation. The key findings are summarised below.
Location specific proposals:
- Proposal to remove the cumulative impact policy for Aylesbury: 68.2% of respondents agreed
- Proposal to remove the special hours policy for Buckingham: 61.8% of respondents agreed
New policy proposals:
- Street drinking policy: 80.9% of respondents agreed
- Outside areas / space policy: 80% of respondents agreed
- Consultation on license applications: 84.5% of respondents agreed
- Pub Watch / Shop Watch policy: 95.5% of respondents agreed
- Safeguarding Children policy: 87.3% of respondents agreed
- Public health policy: 73.6% of respondents agreed
- Promoting environmental best practice policy: 85.5% of respondents agreed
For more information about the responses to the consultation, please see Appendix 3 - Licensing Policy Survey Report (PDF 0.27MB) presented to the Licensing Committee on Wednesday 20 October 2021.
We did
At its meeting on 24 November 2021, Buckinghamshire Council approved the Licensing Policy Statement (PDF 0.90MB), for adoption before 1 April 2022.
To see our responses to comments received during the consultation and how the draft policy has been amended following feedback, please see Appendix 4 - Licensing Service response to comments (PDF 0.48MB).
Overview
Buckinghamshire Council has responsibility for allowing people to sell alcohol, put on public entertainment and sell late night food and drink. The council does this by issuing licences, permits and notices.
The main purpose of licensing is to ensure that the national licensing objectives are promoted:
- preventing crime and disorder;
- public safety;
- preventing public nuisance; and
- protecting children from harm.
We have produced a new draft licensing “Policy”, which explains Buckinghamshire Council’s approach to promoting the four licensing objectives when making decisions about licences.
This Policy is important for businesses such as pubs, shops, restaurants and nightclubs but also for members of the wider community such as residents, community groups and responsible authorities who may be impacted by, or have an interest in, licensing decisions.
The Policy includes some things that are required by national legislation and legal guidance. It also includes things that reflect the council’s core objectives of strengthening our communities, improving our environment, protecting the vulnerable and increasing prosperity.
The Policy reflects feedback we received in our recent public survey with key stakeholders, which included the licensed trade, representatives of Buckinghamshire residents and responsible authorities such as the police and fire service.
This consultation focuses on policy areas that are considered of most interest. You are invited to comment on any part of the Policy that’s important to you. A copy of the draft Policy is available at the bottom of this page.
How to have your say
We welcome your views to help shape future policy decisions in this important area. Please take a few minutes to complete the online survey below.
If you have any questions about this consultation, please email us at licensing.av@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or phone us on 01296 585605.
If completing by post, please return your completed survey to:
- Licensing Policy Consultation, Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.
Please respond by 26 September 2021.
What happens next
Once the consultation closes, we will review all the feedback and make adjustments to the draft Policy if required.
In October 2021, our Licensing Committee will review the final draft Policy and decide whether to recommend its adoption.
We aim to adopt a final Licensing Policy by early 2022. This new policy will replace the licensing policies of the former Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, South Bucks and Wycombe District Councils.
Privacy
We will use the information you provide here only for this activity. We will store the information securely in line with data protection laws and will not share or publish any personal details. For more information about data and privacy, please see our Privacy Policy.
If you have questions about data and privacy, please email us on dataprotection@buckinghamshire.gov.uk. Or write to our Data Protection Officer at Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.
Areas
- Amersham
- Aylesbury
- Beaconsfield and Chepping Wye
- Beeches
- Buckingham and Villages
- Chesham and Villages
- Denham, Gerrards Cross and Chalfonts
- Haddenham and Waddesdon
- High Wycombe
- Missendens
- North West Chilterns
- South West Chilterns
- Wendover
- Wexham and Ivers
- Wing and Ivinghoe
- Winslow and Villages
Interests
- Communities
- Crime & community safety
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