Question
Further to previous Board discussions, The Licensing and Registration of Clubs Amendment Bill proposes to extend late night licenses to 2am with drinking up time of up to 60mins. This means people will leave clubs and bars, especially in cities and towns, up to 3am.
The PSNI has enforcement responsibility for both the Licensing (NI) Order 1996 and the Registration of Clubs (NI) Order 1996 as far as I understand it.
The Policing Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 enables authorities in England and Wales to raise a contribution from late-opening alcohol suppliers towards policing and licensing of the night time economy. I think PSNI have raised this issue and asked if the Act could be extended to NI.
Can PSNI advise how much the late night levy is, how much income this might generate and to whom the levy would be paid?
Also, Police have, I think, said they would support terms and conditions being imposed on an event (e.g. a music festival) where young, unaccompanied people are in attendance and alcohol is on sale. Can PSNI provide any ideas what these conditions could be and how/where they need to be stipulated?
Answer
I will address each question in turn:
1/ The holders of licences and certificates which permit the late night supply of alcohol benefit from the existence of a late night economy. However alcohol-related crime and disorder in that night-time economy give rise to costs for the police; local authorities and other bodies. The UK Government’s intention in introducing the provisions was to enable licensing authorities to require those who benefit from the night-time economy by being permitted to supply alcohol between midnight and 6am to contribute to police costs in order to address the effect of alcohol-related crime and disorder in the night-time economy.
Under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, as enacted for England and Wales, for any levy year, the amount of the levy is the amount prescribed by regulations or the amount calculated in accordance with regulations. The amount is prescribed nationally and is based on the current licence fee system under the Licensing Act 2003 (England and Wales), with holders being placed in bands based on their premises rateable value. This ensures that larger pubs and clubs make a higher contribution towards the levy. The funds generated by the levy will, subject to a deduction for the expenses of introducing, collecting, administrating and enforcing the scheme, be payable to the police and crime commissioner or be used in accordance with regulations. At least 70% of these funds must be paid to the police and crime commissioner. The Government intends that the regulations will permit licensing authorities to pay the remaining funds to other organisations of local government which operate or administer measures to address the effect of alcohol-related crime and disorder in the night-time economy.
2/ With regard to terms and conditions being imposed on a licence, we have asked for alcohol free areas for children for events such as Belsonic, Vital, Custom House Square, the Titanic Quarter and Shorefest to name a few.
Police normally ask for a larger area without alcohol if there is a possibility that there will be a significant number of under 18s. If it could be considered to be an under 18 only event, then we may object to the licence altogether.
John Blair - Alliance