Agenda and minutes

The Committee met to consider an application which has been made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 to grant the above premises licence.  The hearing was held in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003 and Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005.

          PREAMBLE

A meeting of the Regulatory Sub-Committee (acting as Licensing Committee under the Licensing Act 2003) of Halton Borough Council was held at Municipal Building, Widnes on Friday 26th April 2024 commencing at 1.30pm.

The meeting was held to hear an application made under section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 for the grant of a Premises Licence for a new convenience store at 182 Liverpool Road, Widnes. The application was amended prior to the hearing with the closing hour (both for premises opening and supply of alcohol) being amended to 11pm from midnight. It was confirmed during the hearing that the original request for the Late-Night Refreshment Licence (between 11pm and midnight) was being withdrawn. The hours requested for Sunday (both for premises opening and supply of alcohol) were to be amended to start at 7am (rather than 6am) and finish at 10pm.  It was this amended application that was determined by the Sub-Committee.

In attendance were:-

1.     Members of the Regulatory Sub-Committee comprising Cllr Wallace (Chair), and Cllr Fry (`the Sub-Committee’)

2.     Mr. Rushton of JL Licensing representing the Applicant - namely Santha Kumar Nagarajah of SSAAT Limited (‘the Applicant’)

3.     Councillor Wall speaking on behalf of local residents in support of the case put by the objectors (Ward Member)

4.     Mrs. Deaves (the Objector)

5.     Kim Hesketh (Licensing Manager)

6.     Alex Strickland (Legal Adviser)

Councillor Kath Loftus who was scheduled to attend the Sub-Committee was absent and the Sub-Committee resolved at the outset to continue to hear the matter. The written submissions of the 17 objectors who had made relevant representations were considered by the Sub-Committee. Only one of those objectors, Mrs. Deaves, attended the meeting, accompanied by the Ward Member who addressed the Sub Committee on behalf of local residents in support of the case advanced by the objectors (including Mrs. Deaves). 

After the Chair of the Sub Committee had introduced the parties, the Legal Adviser outlined the procedure to be followed. The Licensing Manager presented the Licensing Report with appendices including Location Plan (Appendix A), the schedule of Licensed Premises in the local area (Appendix B), the Application (Appendix C), objections from 17 local residents (Appendix D) and extracts from policy and guidance (Appendix E) - setting out the nature of the application and the relevant representations that had been made, noting that there had been no representation from Cheshire Police in respect of the prevention of crime and disorder statutory licensing objective (or otherwise). The Sub-Committee noted that no relevant representations on behalf of 17 objectors had been withdrawn in advance of the hearing.

1.     Details of the application (as amended before and during the hearing)

The application as amended is for the grant of a Premises Licence as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.