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UPDATED EVERY FRIDAY
Last Update:
Friday 28th January, 2005
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All content ©
New Journal Enterprises, 2004.
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‘Don’t leave us to pick up drinks tab’ plea
to Jowell
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Town Hall warns Minister that raised fees
will still leave £2m gap
TOWN Hall boss Dame Jane Roberts has made a desperate, final
plea to Culture Minister Tessa Jowell: “Don’t leave Camden’s
tax-payers with the bill for your licensing reforms.”
With just 10 days to go before the scramble for new booze licences
begins, Cllr Roberts has called for a re-think on how the new system
will be paid for.
She told Monday’s full council meeting that, despite last-minute
policy amendments, Camden was still expected to lose out.
Under the controversial reforms, fixed pub opening hours will be
scrapped.
The shake-up will see heavy casework switched from licensing magistrates
to local authorities, with councillors ready to sit round the clock
to consider as many applications as possible.
Hundreds of pubs and clubs are thought to be ready to deluge Camden’s
licensing department with requests to trade late.
To placate the outcry from councils spearheaded by Camden, Ms Jowell
has announced a new fee structure.
But Cllr Roberts said the council’s budget still faced a £2
million blow.
She said: “The fees are still not high enough to cover costs
of a licensing regime in boroughs like Camden and Westminster, where
there are a number of licensed premises. Unless the fees are increased,
council taxpayers in these boroughs will be left to make up this
shortfall.”
Cllr Roberts added: “This is unacceptable. Local authorities
were promised that licensing fees would be set at a level to cover
actual costs of implementing the new Licensing Act. Independent
scrutiny of Camden Council’s projected costs so far indicates
that our figures are robust.”
The New Journal revealed three years ago how Camden was prepared
to ditch its traditionally warm relationship with Whitehall to lead
the campaign for altering the policy.
Councillors from all parties have backed the rebellious Labour stance.
In recent weeks, the stand-off with government has become increasingly
tense, with environment chief Councillor John Thane claiming that
attempts to discuss the issue with Ms Jowell, who lives in Kentish
Town, were like speaking to a brick wall.
Cllr Roberts said the council was now waiting for a review, which
she hopes will lead to higher licence fees.
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