The Licensing Committee of Three Rivers District Council discussed the necessity of a Cumulative Impact Policy, recent enforcement actions, and the review schedule for the Statement of Licensing Policy and the Gambling Policy. It was decided that no Cumulative Impact Assessment is needed at present, and the review dates for the policies were set for June 2025 and June 2024, respectively.

Cumulative Impact Policy

The Team Leader of Development Management revisited the discussion from June 2022 regarding the need for a Cumulative Impact Policy. Officers were initially asked in 2021 to draft a report to determine if such a policy was necessary. Given the lack of significant complaints from specific localities within the district, it was concluded that a Cumulative Impact Assessment is not required at this time. The situation remains unchanged, and no new evidence suggests the need for an assessment.

Recent Enforcement Actions

The Lead Licensing Officer provided updates on recent enforcement actions. Two licence holders within the district received cautions for breaches of their premises licences, which have been recorded on their Police National Computer (PNC) records. A multi-agency visit on 14 June to off-licences and vape stores resulted in goods being seized from five out of 23 premises visited. Further actions may be taken based on these findings. Ongoing investigations include a licensed premises under scrutiny since September 2022, with updates to follow post-review.

Intelligence Gathering

The committee discussed various methods for gathering intelligence on licensed premises, including reports from officers, the Police, Environmental Health, and Trading Standards. Notably, Trading Standards plans to use tobacco dogs in future investigations to uncover illicit activities.

Policy Review Schedule

The Statement of Licensing Policy is effective until February 2026, and the Gambling Policy until January 2025. Officers recommended that the Statement of Licensing Policy be reviewed and presented at the June 2025 meeting, and the Gambling Policy at the June 2024 meeting. These dates may change if legislative updates necessitate earlier reviews.