Decision details

Purpose: to adopt a gambling policy

The committee considered the report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services setting out the proposed gambling policy and the responses to the consultation on the draft policy. Mr Robert Draper, Licensing Manager, and Mrs Liz Hayden, Legal, Licensing and Community Safety Manager, introduced the report and answered questions.

They reported that the Vale of White Horse District Council had considered the draft policy and had recommended retaining their existing ‘no casino’ clause. Consequently paragraph 4.9.3 of the draft joint policy would be amended before presentation to Council to show 4.9.3(a) relating to Vale and 4.9.3(b) relating to South.

Officers circulated the proposed revised text of this paragraph:

4.9.3(a) Vale of White Horse District Council: Policy not to allow applications for a casino.

Section 166 of the Act gives the council the power to pass a ‘no casino’ resolution, meaning that applications for a casino would not be considered. The council has adopted a ‘no casino’ resolution on the basis that this rural district with country market towns is an inappropriate place for a casino, that casinos are better located in large towns or cities, and the council should also protect the most vulnerable people from gambling in casinos. This resolution is required to be renewed within three years.

4.9.3(b) South Oxfordshire District Council: Policy to allow applications for a casino.

Section 166 of the Act gives the council the power to pass a ‘no casino’ resolution, meaning that applications for a casino would not be considered. The council has not adopted a ‘no casino’ policy. As such, all applications received for a premises licence to operate a casino in the council area would be judged on their own merits, in accordance with paragraph 2.7 and the requirements set out in paragraph 4.9.4.

The committee noted the proposed amendments to the joint policy.

The committee discussed the merits of adopting a no casino clause. It noted that officers reviewed fees periodically but there had been no reason to alter these. It noted that the amendments to paragraph 4.9.3 would be included in the draft put before Council and a number of typographical errors would be corrected.

RESOLVED: to recommend Cabinet to recommend Council to:

(i)                 adopt the proposed Joint Gambling Policy;

(ii)        authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to make minor editorial changes to the Joint Gambling Policy; and

(ii)               authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to publish the Joint Gambling Policy in accordance with the Gambling Act 2005 (Licensing Authority Policy Statement)(England and Wales) Regulations 2006.