Overloaded system will fail, warns legal chief

A HECTIC new licensing system which will mean councillors meeting every day to plough through a flood of applications from bars and clubs wishing to open late has been branded “high risk” by Town Hall legal chiefs.
In a grim warning to councillors preparing to take their seats on the new licensing committee, borough solicitor Alison Lowton has said the Town Hall’s reputation is at stake as it tries to cope with government reforms.
The committee is facing a radical overhaul, with councillors having to meet daily to get through the deluge of applications.
Instead of meetings once every three weeks, hearings have been scheduled for Monday and Friday afternoons and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
The rise in workload means 800 cases could be heard in just six or seven months.
In a written report sent to all affected councillors, Ms Lowton has said: “Officers do not believe the authority has ever attempted decision-making on such a scale before and are mindful that the chances of failure are high.
“There are enormous risks to the authority in implementing the decision element of this Act, both in terms of resource and reputation, and it will require all those involved to minimise the risk at every level.”
The punishing schedule could determine whether the new relaxed booze laws will change the face of drink hot-spots like Camden High Street, Finchley Road and Covent Garden.
Residents in the worst-affected areas, including the bar-littered route from Mornington Crescent Tube station to Chalk Farm station – often referred to as Camden’s drinking mile – have already appealed for help in stopping pubs getting late licences.
Objectors say late-night revellers will cause residents sleepless nights.
Meetings which currently can run for hours with councillors quizzing applicants and objectors at length will be replaced by much shorter hearings. The current panel of 16 councillors will be cut to smaller committees of just three members.
A provisional schedule of meetings shows that the new committees will be kept busy with daily hearings throughout March, April and May.
Ms Lowton’s report said: “There will need to be tight control over the panel meetings and limits to the time taken for each application, otherwise there is little chance of deciding applications within the statutory timescale.”
Councillors will meet tonight (Thursday) to discuss the changes.