The Licensing Committee meeting scheduled for 27 April 2026 was set to address the review of the City of London's Statement of Licensing Policy, procedures for submitting supplementary information to licensing hearings, and to receive updates on delegated decisions and police activity. The committee was also scheduled to elect its Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

Statement of Licensing Policy Review

A significant item on the agenda was the review of the City of London's Statement of Licensing Policy (SoLP). This review, mandated by Section 5 of the Licensing Act 2003¹, is a statutory five-year process. The current policy was published in January 2022, and the revised policy is intended to be published by January 2027. The review aims to ensure the SoLP remains current, lawful, and fit for purpose by considering national and local legislative and policy changes. These include Martyn's Law², the National Licensing Policy Framework³, and the Mayor of London's Strategic Licensing Pilot⁴. The report outlined the proposed methodology and timeline for this review, with a recommendation to agree the methodology and timeline, authorise officers to draft the revised SoLP in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair, and to carry out a statutory consultation period of at least eight weeks. The outcome of the consultation and the final draft were scheduled to be considered by the committee on 19 October 2026.

Licensing Hearings Procedure

The committee was also scheduled to discuss proposed amendments to the procedures for Licensing Sub-Committee hearings, specifically concerning the submission of supplementary information. The report highlighted concerns raised at a recent hearing regarding the late submission of substantial amounts of information, which impacted procedural fairness, the ability of members to properly evaluate new material, and the efficient administration of hearings. The proposed amendments aim to clarify expectations for submitting information, setting deadlines for submissions alongside applications, after the last date for representation, and for very late evidence. The proposals also detail how new documentary information produced at the hearing itself would be handled, requiring the consent of all parties present. The committee was asked to approve these procedural amendments and revised notification letters.

Delegated Decisions and Enforcement

The committee was to receive a report detailing delegated decisions made by the Executive Director Environment pertaining to premises licences granted between 1 January 2026 and 31 March 2026. This report included information on new premises licences and variations, as well as a summary of enforcement actions taken under the Licensing Act 2003, the Police, Factories (Misc Provisions) Act 1916, and the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1987 during the same period. It also presented data from the 'traffic light' risk scheme for premises. The report detailed specific new licence applications and variations, including conditions attached to them, and outlined enforcement actions such as inspections, warning letters, and prosecutions.

Licensing Sub-Committee Hearings - Eadn Limited

The public minutes of the Licensing (Hearing) Sub Committee meetings held on 4 February 2026 (adjourned) and 6 March 2026, concerning the premises Eadn, 2-3 Old Change Court, London, EC4M 8EN, were to be received for information. The hearing on 4 February 2026 was adjourned due to late submission of evidence and ongoing negotiations. The subsequent hearing on 6 March 2026 considered an amended application by Eadn Limited to vary a condition related to promoted events . The applicant sought to amend the condition to clarify that both elements of the definition of a promoted event would need to be true for an event to be considered promoted. The City of London Police raised concerns about potential increased crime and disorder associated with promoted events. The hearing also heard representations from Fidelity International regarding anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of the premises. The Sub-Committee ultimately determined that the variation to the premises licence should be permanently granted.

City of London Police Quarterly Update

A quarterly update from the City of London Police was scheduled to be presented. This report would likely cover policing activities relevant to licensing and public safety within the City.