Licensing structure to change at Arun District Council.

According to a council vote, the powers to decide licensing applications in Arun will alter.

According to council officers, at a full council meeting on Wednesday, November 12, members endorsed measures agreed upon at the licensing committee meeting in September to transfer licensing application authority to the licensing sub-committee.

This includes making decisions on new premises licence applications as well as existing licences if objections are raised, whereas before such matters had to be submitted to the sub-committee first by the entire licensing committee.

According to the officers, the complete licensing committee will still be responsible for a ‘number of additional responsibilities’ in addition to these judgements, such as licensing policy.

The modifications were recommended under the council’s Statement of Licensing Policy, which is updated every five years and was last modified in 2020.

The amended policy also closes a temporary event notice loophole and allows the council to require managers and staff at venues that serve alcohol to complete Ask for Angela or Ask for Clive training.