Decision details

Cabinet considered the head of housing and environment’s report regarding a review of the gambling policy.  The Gambling Act 2005 required the council to have a gambling policy and to review it every three years.  The draft policy had been considered by the Licensing Acts Committee and had been subject to consultation.  The committee had recommended that Cabinet made a recommendation to Council to adopt the policy. 

Cabinet noted that there had been no significant policy changes as a result of the review and public consultation.  Mostly the changes updated references to statute.  The one policy change was for a ‘no casinos’ policy, a theoretical change as there were no casinos in the district. 

Cabinet supported the recommendations set out in the report.  However, Cabinet asked officers to review the wording in the policy on the definition of gambling harm and what constituted a vulnerable person, in light of the council developing its own inclusion, diversity and equalities strategy. 

RECOMMENDED to Council to:

(a)       adopt the proposed joint gambling policy;

(b)       authorise the head of housing and environment to make minor editorial changes to the joint gambling policy; and

(c)    authorise the head of housing and environment to publish the joint gambling policy in accordance with the Gambling Act 2005 (Licensing Authority Policy Statement) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006.