The Statutory Licensing Committee convened to discuss and approve the draft Licensing Policy 2026-2031 for public consultation, and also reviewed minutes from previous sub-committee meetings which concerned licensing decisions for The Crown Inn and another premises. The committee agreed that the Licensing Policy 2026-2031 could proceed to a full council meeting, before a public consultation.

Here's a breakdown of the key topics discussed:

Licensing Policy 2026-2031

The committee considered the Licensing Policy 2026 - 2031 Report and Appendix 1 - Licensing Act Policy 2026 - 2031, which is required to be reviewed at least every five years, as mandated by the Licensing Act 2003¹. The existing policy was adopted in December 2020 and is effective until January 2026, meaning a new policy must be adopted and published by 31 January 2026.

The report, authored by Craig Griffiths, Head of Legal and Democratic Services, highlighted that the new policy retains much of the same relevant information as the previous one, but includes significant restructuring, additions, and omissions. These changes are designed to ensure the policy is accessible, unambiguous, and a useful tool for those operating or proposing to operate licensed premises within Neath Port Talbot.

Key points of the updated policy include:

• Essential Reading Requirements: The policy emphasises that it does not duplicate detailed information already available in the Statutory Guidance issued under the Licensing Act 2003² or the council's wider corporate strategies. Instead, it sets an expectation that existing and prospective licence holders read the guidance in conjunction with the policy.

• Aiming to Permit: The licensing authority will aim to permit new and existing licensed businesses that support and advance the council's strategic vision, as articulated in its corporate strategies and plans, contingent upon consistency with the licensing objectives.

• Consultation: An informal consultation with partner agencies has already taken place, resulting in minor amendments/additions to the policy. A full consultation exercise, including statutory consultees, interested parties, trade bodies, disability groups, drug and alcohol misuse groups, and the general public, will be carried out for a minimum of six weeks.

• Integration of Plans and Strategies: The policy recognises the council's wider corporate strategies, such as the NPT Council's Corporate Strategy, NPT Event Strategy, NPT Destination Management Plan, and NPT Strategic Equality Plan.

• Other Factors: The policy also considers the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015³, street cafe permits, film classification policy, cumulative impact assessment, and early morning restriction orders and late-night levy.

• Public Health: The policy addresses alcohol and drug-related harm, setting expectations for businesses to mitigate their impact on the health and wellbeing of customers and the community.

The committee was asked to consider whether any amendments were required to the Licensing Policy 2026 - 2031 prior to its submission to Council for approval to begin the consultation exercise.

An Impact Assessment - First Stage was undertaken to assist the Council in discharging its legislative duties (under the Equality Act 2010⁴, the Welsh Language Standards (No.1) Regulations 2015, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Environment (Wales) Act 2016.

Decision:

The committee agreed that the Licensing Policy 2026-2031 could proceed to a full council meeting, before a public consultation.

Review of Previous Sub-Committee Meetings

The committee reviewed the minutes from two previous Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee meetings:

• Minutes Public Pack 21072025 Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee: This meeting concerned an application for the review of a premises licence for the Crown Inn, located at 244 Neath Road, Briton Ferry, Neath, SA11 2AX. The sub-committee resolved to modify the conditions of the premises licence, pursuant to s.52(4)(a) of the Licensing Act 2003, subject to conditions agreed between South Wales Police, Legal Regulatory Service, and the Premises Licence Holder. These conditions included requirements for CCTV, a refusal record, an incident recording book, SIA door supervisors, and a Challenge 25 policy.

• Minutes Public Pack 11082025 Statutory Licensing Sub-Committee: This meeting concerned an application for the grant of a premises licence. The sub-committee resolved to approve the application, subject to conditions agreed between the applicant, South Wales Police, and the Legal Regulatory Service. The permissions included opening hours from 10:00 to 22:30, and the supply of alcohol (on and off sales) from 12:00 to 22:00, with seasonal variations. Conditions included CCTV, a refusal recording book, an incident logbook, a Challenge 25 Policy, and signage requesting patrons to respect local residents.