Agenda and minutes

Under the terms of reference for the Licensing Committee each Sub-Committee is required to elect a Chairman on an ad hoc basis for the duration of the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That, in accordance with the Terms of Reference for the Licensing Committee, Councillor R Morgan be elected Chairman for the duration of the Sub – Committee meeting.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services) To declare interests in any item on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interests pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

The Panel noted the agreed procedure for the conduct of business, and the Terms of Reference.

            Decision Required:

To consider the application for the Kings Oak Public House, High Beech, Loughton.

 (Head of Environmental Services) The application is attached. Representations have been received from the responsible authorities for Planning, Environmental Protection the Essex Police and two interested parties.

The members of the Sub – Committee that presided over this application were Councillor R Morgan,  Mrs R Gadsby and Mrs P Smith. Councillor Mrs K Rush acted as an observer.

In attendance was Mr C Akers, the applicant, Mr R Eton, Mr Light, the legal representatives for the case, Mr S Bunce an objector and  Mr R Baker of the Responsible Authority for Planning Services. Also present was Mr S Fisher, Mr A Williams and Mr S Hilliard on behalf of Essex Police.

The Chairman introduced the Sub – Committee and officers present welcomed the participants and requested that they introduced themselves to the meeting. He also explained the procedure that would be followed for the determination of this application.

It was reported that Councillor Mrs Stavrou, (the ward member for the area in question) had approached the Head of Environmental Services with  documents questioning whether the variation had been made in accordance with the procedures regarding the advertisement of applications.

Councillor Mrs Stavrou circulated information detailing the distribution area for the newspaper ‘the Epping Forest Independent’ in which the advertisement for the premises had been placed. She also circulated an extract from the electoral register and an e-mail sent by the newspaper company illustrating that the newspaper, which was delivered to households, had not been delivered to the households in the immediate vicinity of the public house. She concluded that this indicated that the proposed variation had not been properly advertised therefore could not be considered.

The Sub – Committee retired to consider this application in private. During the deliberations, members noted the guidance on the advertising of applications which suggested that a variation must be placed in a publication/newspaper operating in the vicinity of the premises. The Sub – Committee determined that the proposals had fulfilled this guidance as an advertisement had been placed in a newspaper operating in the vicinity. The Sub – Committee returned to the meeting to report their decision and continue with their consideration of the variation.

The Sub – Committee then considered a further application made by the residents of the immediate area which referred to the concerns raised over the advertisement of the application. Mr Smith, a resident of the locality reported that those affected by the identified shortcoming were not made aware of the proposals until it was too late to prepare and submit representations. Residents had also reported that, when visiting the site, they had not observed notices on the premises itself. Given these circumstances he asked the Sub – Committee to take into account the late representations submitted after the requisite deadline.

The Sub – Committee retired to consider the case in private. Having considered that the application had been properly advertised, they determined that any representations made after the requisite deadline could not be taken in account and returned to the meeting to report this decision and consider the case.

(a)                           Presentation of the application

The applicant advised the Sub – Committee that the applications sought permission  ...  view the full minutes text for item 136.

Decision Required: 

To consider the application for ‘Perfect Choice Pizza and Fry Chicken Takeaway’, 60 Borders Lane, Loughton, Essex. 

(Head of Environmental Services) The application is attached. A representations has been received from the responsible authority for Planning.

In view of the unavailability of applicant, the Sub – Committee agreed that this item should be deferred to the next meeting.