Agenda item

Consider report giving an overview of the work of the Scottish Borders Local Licensing Forum October 2017 – October 2018 (copy attached).

4.1       Mr Mark Hay, acting Chair of the Local Licensing Forum, referred to the Forum’s Annual Report 2017-2018, which had been circulated, and gave an overview of the activities during the year.  He explained that membership had remained relatively stable with one resignation received. The Police Scotland representative had changed from PC Clayton Lackenby to PC Terrie Ray following her appointment to the Police licensing role. Forum members continued to struggle to attend regular Licensing Board meetings, however the minutes of the meeting were now a standing item at Forum meetings and allowed any discussion on decisions made.  Part of the Forum’s activity over the year related to the review of the Licensing Board Statement which was due to be published in November 2018.  As the Forum was a consultee in the review of the Policy, the Forum formed a short life working group in January 2018 with recommendations forwarded to the Licensing Board. These were taken into consideration and assisted in the formation of the new Policy approved on 26 October 2018.

4.2      In terms of continuous professional development (CPD), the Forum was kept up to date on national licensing developments.  This year input was received on:

·                     ‘Who Are You’ safety campaign – Police Scotland.  This campaign raised awareness of bystanders, including those in the licensed trade, who may be able to assist in prevention of sexual assault crimes.

·                     Underage Drinking ‘Don’t Buy it, Don’t Supply it’ – Safer Communities Scottish Borders Council.  This campaign, with the assistance of the Licensing Standards Officers, focused on advertising at major events to improve public awareness of new legislation and responsibilities.

·                     Best Bar None Scotland – Safer Communities Scottish Borders Council.  A voluntary accredited award scheme where premises demonstrated awareness and prevention in relation to licensing objectives.

            Members of the Forum and Licensing Board had also received the following joint CPD presentations:-

·                     Alcohol Availability and harm in the Scottish Borders – Alcohol Focus Scotland

·                     Introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) – Ian Tunnah, Licensing Standards Officer

            Future training would include the safety campaign ‘Ask for Angela’.  This related to the safety of persons in licensed premises whereupon a customer requiring assistance could use the phrase ‘Is Angela working’, to staff, discretely alerting them that assistance was required. A Forum member and licensee introduced this system in his premises and this had already been of help to a customer. It was discussed at a Forum meeting prompting Police Scotland to consider roll out of the system in 2019.

4.3       The annual Alcohol Profile was updated and published in February 2018 with the introduction of a summary info-graphic to support easy reference.   The Profile was referenced within Alcohol Focus Scotland’s toolkit as good practice. As a result approaches have been made by other local authorities and Forum members had met with colleagues to share this good practice.  A member of the Forum had been invited to attend the Local Government and Communities Committee meeting in Scottish Parliament to participate in the Committee’s evidence session on alcohol licensing in Scotland. This input demonstrated how the Borders Forum had developed and cemented their membership and implemented their roles within the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.  This was well received and once again reflected the work of the Borders Forum at a national level.  Members of the Forum had also been requested to take part in a study carried out by the Faculty of Health, Stirling University, to examine whether and how local public health engagement in alcohol licensing, operated through the local licensing regime to affect alcohol-related harms. 

DECISION

NOTED the update.