To consider the attached report of the Head of Regulatory Services.

The Head of Regulatory Services presented the report on the revised statement of policy and principles under the gambling act 2005.

Members were advised that the statement of policy and procedures had to be reviewed every three years. It was proposed that the period of consultation for the review would be 6 weeks after which, subject to any changes arising from the consultation, the policy would be referred to the full Council for consideration.

The new statement to be consulted upon had been drafted using a new countywide template that officers had decided to adopt. However, other than the format change the only textual changes within the document reflected changes in legislation. In response to a question from Members as to whether a tracked change copy of the statement could be made available or whether the proposed changes could be listed in the report, the Head of Regulatory Services advised that the new template for the statement was significantly different from the original document which made it impractical to show as a tracked change document. 

The issue of whether there was a measurement framework was raised and the Head of Regulatory Services advised that she would look into it but wasn’t sure that there was sufficiently robust local figures to compare with national figures. It was suggested that the gambling commission or the voluntary sector could provide information on the local level of gambling.

The Chairman asked officers to ensure that paper copies of the consultation document be made available to those members of the public who couldn’t access it online.

A typographical error was highlighted on page 74, paragraph 154 which referred to ‘Folkestone and Hythe District Council’ instead of ‘Dover District Council’. The Head of Regulatory Services advised that this would be corrected prior to the document going to consultation.

RESOLVED: That it be recommended to Cabinet that Decision CAB5 be endorsed as follows:

(a)  That the draft revised Statement of Policy and Principles under the Gambling Act 2005, and the commencement of a period of public consultation between 10 June and 22 July 2019, be approved.

(b)  That the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Licensing be authorised in the following terms:

(i)            In the event that no consultation responses are received, that the Portfolio Holder proposes adoption of the Statement of Policy and Principles to the full Council without modification.

(ii)           In the event that limited consultation responses are received, that the Portfolio Holder proposes adoption of the Statement of Policy and Principles to the full Council with modification.

(iii)          In the event that significant consultation responses are received, that the Portfolio Holder refers the matter back to Cabinet in order that it may make a proposal to full Council.

To consider the attached report of the Head of Regulatory Services.

Responsibility: Portfolio Holder for Transport and Licensing

It was agreed:

(a) That the draft revised Statement of Policy and Principles under the Gambling Act 2005, and the commencement of a period of public consultation between 10 June and 22 July 2019, be approved.

     (b) That the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Licensing be authorised in the  following terms:

(i)    In the event that no consultation responses are received, that the Portfolio Holder proposes adoption of the Statement of Policy and Principles to the full Council without modification.

(ii)   In the event that limited consultation responses are received, that the Portfolio Holder proposes adoption of the Statement of Policy and Principles to the full Council with modification.

(iii)   In the event that significant consultation responses are received, that the Portfolio Holder refers the matter back to Cabinet in order that it may make a proposal to full Council.