Issue - meetings

A Committee Member expressed concerns about the length of some of the reports tabled. The Chair agreed that he would ask officers to consider including hyperlinks in documents to supporting information, where appropriate. The Chair was emphatic that members should have access to all the relevant information to enable them to make an evidenced based decision.

Joanne Till, Section Leader, Licensing, presented a report requesting that Members consider the consultation on proposed changes to gaming machines and social responsibility measures and provide comments.

Members were supportive of the consultation. They noted that irresponsible gambling could lead to further social problems. It was agreed that mosques and temples would be included in the consultation.

Councillor Warren acknowledged these issues but stressed that most people who gambled did so responsibly. He was disappointed that online gambling had not been considered as part of the consultation as he felt that online gambling was potentially more harmful.

The Section Leader provided the following responses to issues raised by the Committee:

• The consultation response letter from CWC omitted online gambling as those details were not requested;
• Social responsibility was part of the Gambling Act and online gambling was monitored very stringently;
• Members can raise concerns regarding online gambling at question 16 within their responses.

The Section Leader agreed to circulate the consultation questions to Members electronically and requested that responses were submitted by 9 January 2018.

The Chair encouraged Members to respond to the consultation.

Resolved:

That Members of the Licensing Committee would consider the consultation on proposed changes to gaming machines and social responsibility measures and provide responses.