Agenda item

(Copy attached).

With reference to paragraph 5 of the Minute of 22 March 2016, regarding the IT software system known as Inn Keeper, there had been circulated a consultation note produced by Alcohol Focus Scotland.   The note raised the question as to whether there was a need for improved access to licensing data.  It was recognised that the availability of good quality data had been associated with successes in addressing the objectives of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.  However, on the whole, national and local data relevant to licensing was not being collected consistently or in a manner which allowed for meaningful comparisons. Inn Keeper, the IT software solution used by police for recording liquor and civic licensing issues, combined administrative licensing data with information on alcohol-related crime and disorder issues.  All information related to licensed premises was recorded on the software, including: numbers of licensed premises; operating schedules and layout plans; details of breaches of licensing conditions; information regarding anti-social behaviour related to alcohol; details of any inspections to licensed premises by police; and details about premises including capacity.  The police already shared data from Inn Keeper with key stakeholders as part of the licensing process e.g. when providing comment to licensing boards on individual licensing applications.  However, some of the data could be useful to other individuals and agencies involved in licensing and licensing policy, including Local Licensing Forums.  Alcohol Focus Scotland was asking the following questions:

1.    What types of information, if any, would you wish to access from Inn Keeper?

2.    For what purposes and in which ways would this information be used?

3.    Were there any other stakeholders you think may benefit from access to the information contained on Inn Keeper?

4.2      Ms Walker pointed out that cross referencing with Inn Keeper would be a useful way of capturing data for the preparation of the annual Alcohol Profile.  Information of relevance would be the number of licensed premises; number of occasional licences; record of anti-social behaviour related to premises, which would be of assistance in identifying problems associated with supermarket and off-license sales; and information on premises and capacity, to support an over-provision statement.  PC Lackenby stressed that the software was new and that, as no additional resources had been identified to populate the system, it would take five years for it to be fully up to date.  With further reference to paragraph 5 of the Minute of  22 March 2016, Mr Gillies raised again the question of how occurrences of ‘Incident on Licensed Premises’ (ILP) were recorded on Inn Keeper.  This issue, which was also recently raised in the Scottish Licensed Trade News, focused on the perception that a licensee who contacted the police to report an incident would automatically receive a negative record against the premises. PC Lackenby explained that there was no specific facility on Inn Keeper to record either a positive or negative mark for the premises associated with an ILP.  However there was an additional unallocated box against which there was a space to add other information.  PC Lackenby had initiated a process by which this box was used to record, as either positive or negative, the way in which the premises involved had handled the incident. Since he had started recording this information he had noted 10 positive and 2 negative occurrences.  Members of the Forum welcomed the initiative being taken by PC Lackenby and asked for this to be flagged-up as an example of good practice in the Borders.   The Convener agreed to raise the issue at the police liaison meeting and ask for this to be recognised as a positive course of action. 

DECISION

AGREED that:-

(a)          a response to the AFS consultation on Inn Keeper be submitted, on behalf of the Scottish Borders Local Licensing Forum, to the effect that for the purpose of capturing data for the Alcohol Profile the Forum would wish to access the following types of information:-

(i)         the number of licensed premises and occasional licenses;

(ii)        incidents of anti-social behaviour related to premises; and

(iii)       details about premises including capacity.

(b)          that the process be continued in the Scottish Borders of recording on Inn Keeper, as either positive of negative, the way in which ILPs were handled by the licensed premises involved and that this action be recognised as good practice.