Agenda and minutes

            The Committee met to consider an application which had been made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 to vary the above premises licence.

            The hearing was held in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003 and the Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005.

            The meeting was held as a hearing relating to an application made in respect of Morrison’s Queensbury Way Widnes for a premises licence to sell alcohol off the premises. The application requested the supply of alcohol off the premises between the hours of 06.00 and Midnight each day.

            The chairman introduced the members of the Committee and the Council’s officers who were present.

            The Council’s legal adviser, John Tully, summarised the procedure to be followed and outlined the nature of the application. He also advised on the relevance of some of the documentation before the Committee.

            At the hearing, the Committee were addressed by the applicant’s Legal representative Clare Johnson from Gosschalks Solicitors who was accompanied by Kelly Nichols Morrison’s Licensing Manager, Chris Williams Morrison’s Store Operations Manager and Miles Foster.

            Helen Carlin, Steve Price and Anna McDonald also addressed the members as interested parties.

            At the hearing Ms Carlin produced 4 additional pieces of information which had been forwarded to the applicant prior to the hearing. A research article from the BMC Public Health, Minute Number 16 of Halton Councils Safer Policy and Performance Board dated 21 September 2010, Minute No 25 of Halton Councils Safer Policy and Performance Board dated 16 November 2010 and Minute Number 101 of Halton Councils Executive Board dated 8 April 2010.

            The Committee asked a number of questions of the parties and retired to consider the matter.

RESOLVED: That

having considered the application in accordance with section 4 Licensing Act 2003 and all other relevant considerations the Committee decided that the application be granted as requested.

The reason for the determination was that the Committee felt that the application was consistent with the Licensing Objectives.

Time that the licence shall take effect

Immediately

NOTE: The premises to which the licence relates did not exist at the date of the hearing. Consequently, although the premises licence technically has immediate effect no licensable activity can take place under the premises licence until the premises have been completed in accordance with the plan submitted by the applicant.

Following the announcement of the Committee decision the Chairman of the Committee advised the local residents at the hearing that the path for them to follow now is to concentrate on applications made to the development control committee who can apply different criteria to applications which the Licensing Act 2003 cannot.