The Licensing Committee of Ealing Council met on Tuesday 16 June 2026 to discuss updates on licensing policy and enforcement, and the implementation of new regulations for keeping primates. The committee was scheduled to review licensing activity and consider a new fee structure for primate licences.

Licensing Policy Hearing and Enforcement Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on licensing policy and enforcement activities. This report, presented by Izabela Gregory, Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards (Acting), provided an overview of licensing decisions made between 1 April 2026 and 31 May 2026. The report detailed the number of licences and permits in force, including premises licences under the Licensing Act 2003, gambling licences, and licences for massage and special treatments.

Over the 2025-2026 financial year, the Licensing Processing and Licensing Enforcement teams administered various licensing regimes. The report indicated that 71 new Premises Licence applications were received, a decrease from the previous year but consistent with the longer-term average. The Licensing Sub-Committee (LSC) made 24 decisions, considering 8 new Premises Licences, of which 3 were refused. There were also 11 reviews of Premises Licences, resulting in 4 revocations, 4 suspensions, and 3 instances where additional conditions were imposed. The report also highlighted the submission of 480 Temporary Event Notices (TENs), with 472 being permitted.

Enforcement activities included a sustained programme of targeted enforcement, intelligence-led operations, and compliance interventions. This involved systematic inspections of off-licensed premises, proactive verification visits to premises suspected of unauthorised licensable activity, and test purchase operations targeting underage alcohol sales. The report noted significant seizures of illicit and counterfeit goods, including illicit cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco, shisha, illegal vapes, and counterfeit consumer goods.

The committee was also scheduled to be updated on the WAVE (Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement) training and the Ask for Angela safeguarding initiative, which aims to reduce incidents of violence and harassment.

Implementation of the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024

The committee was scheduled to discuss the implementation of the Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024. These regulations, which came fully into force on 6 April 2026, introduced a mandatory licensing framework for the private keeping of primates in England. It is now an offence to keep a primate without a licence issued by the relevant local authority.

The report, presented by Izabela Gregory, Head of Environmental Health & Trading Standards (acting), outlined the Council's proposed approach to administering this new licensing regime. As the licensing authority, Ealing Council is responsible for determining applications, arranging specialist inspections, and undertaking enforcement action. The report sought approval for a proposed licence fee structure and governance arrangements.

The proposed fee structure was designed to cover the costs of specialist veterinary inspections, which are outsourced to the City of London Corporation, and local authority officer time for processing and decision-making. The report recommended approving the proposed licence fee structure and agreeing that licence determinations be delegated to authorised officers, in line with the Council's scheme of delegations. This approach reflects the prescriptive nature of the Regulations, which do not mandate committee determination for such decisions.

The regulations aim to improve animal welfare standards and restrict the private keeping of primates to those who can meet very high welfare requirements. The proposed fees were benchmarked against other local authorities and fall within the typical national range for primate licensing.