The Royal Borough of Greenwich Licensing Committee met to discuss the adoption of a revised Statement of Licensing Policy and to appoint members to Licensing Sub-Committees. The committee agreed to commend the revised Statement of Licensing Policy to the Full Council for approval and appointed members to serve on the Licensing Sub-Committees.

Adoption of Revised Statement of Licensing Policy

The committee considered the adoption of the revised Statement of Licensing Policy in respect of the Licensing Act 2003. The current policy expires on 6 January 2026, and the council is legally required to review, consult upon and republish its policy at least every five years. The revised policy, if adopted, will come into effect on 7 January 2026.

The report before the committee outlined that the proposed revisions primarily consist of minor amendments to reflect changes in statutory guidance, the removal of outdated or redundant references, and the correction of typographical errors. However, officers have also taken the opportunity to strengthen the policy by introducing additional sections and improving clarity in areas where previous versions lacked specificity or where operational experience highlighted the need for further guidance.

Key changes proposed in the revised policy included:

• Alignment with strategic borough priorities, including the Our Greenwich Plan and the Inclusive Economy Strategy 2024–2034.
• A new section on Tackling Male Violence Against Women and Girls (MVAWG), setting out expectations for venue-level safeguarding, staff training, and engagement with initiatives such as Ask for Angela¹ and WAVE².
• A dedicated chapter on Anti-Spiking Measures, providing a policy framework for applying conditions or interventions to address spiking-related behaviours.
• A revised Public Safety objective, which now explicitly includes Counter Terrorism, referencing national guidance and expectations around risk assessment and venue preparedness.
• A new section on Night-Time Economy Zones in Greenwich and Woolwich, setting out the council's aspirations for safe, vibrant evening and night-time destinations and the high standards expected of operators.
• A new policy chapter relating to licensed premises within the policing footprint of Charlton Athletic Football Club, offering guidance on risk management for match-day trading.
• An updated and consolidated Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA)³ evidence base, using modernised methodologies, including geospatial mapping, hex-grid analysis, and ambulance call-out data.
• Expanded model conditions, particularly in relation to large outdoor events.

A public consultation on the proposed revisions ran from 21 July to 7 September and generated 77 responses. The consultation showed that there was general support for the policy's proposed safeguards, but also concerns about perceived over-regulation.

In response to concerns that the draft policy introduced unnecessary or excessive regulation, the policy has been amended to include a new paragraph (1.4) which sets out the overarching purpose of the policy and clarifies the council's intention to balance the needs of residents and businesses while avoiding unnecessary regulation. In addition, new paragraphs (6.4 and 6.7) have been introduced to confirm that licensing conditions will only be imposed where they are necessary, appropriate, and proportionate.

The East Greenwich Residents Association (EGRA), raised several concerns and recommendations, including:

• Calling for the Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) covering Trafalgar Road and the Peninsula to be strengthened.
• Criticising the exclusion of noise complaints from the evidence base.
• Expressing concern about weak enforcement provisions.
• Raising concerns about spillover from proposed Night-Time Economy (NTE) zones into residential areas.

The Public Health team submitted a response proposing that the revised Statement of Licensing Policy include provisions for managing the risk of adulterated drugs and preventing drug-related overdose, particularly in the context of synthetic opioids such as Nitazenes.

The Council agreed to include a revised paragraph 13.7 to provide clearer guidance for applicants, reinforcing the presumption of refusal where relevant representations are received, unless the applicant can demonstrate that their proposal will not add to cumulative impact. It also sets clearer expectations for applicants to provide proportionate mitigation measures and, where appropriate, independent evidence.

The committee agreed to commend the revised Licensing Act 2003 Adoption of Revised Statement of Licensing Policy to Full Council.

Appointment of Licensing Sub-Committees

The committee considered a report on the Appointment of Licensing Sub-Committees. Under the Licensing Act 2003, the council is obliged to appoint a Licensing Committee to discharge its function as a Licensing Authority, and only members of the Licensing Committee may be appointed to a Licensing Sub-Committee. Licensing Sub-Committees must consist of three members, who must have received appropriate training in order to enable them to consider applications.

The committee approved the recommendations and appointed members to serve on Sub-Committees as listed at Appendix B of the report.