Decision details

The Chief Executive submitted a report informing the Committee of the requirement to review the Council’s Statement of Principles under the Gambling Act 2005 (“Act”) and seek Committee’s authorisation to consult upon the amendment attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

Members were reminded that:

·         It is a legal requirement under the Act that a Council must have a Statement of Principles which is reviewed and published at least every three years.

·         If amendments are made during the three-year period since the Statement of Principles was last legally reviewed, it must still be reviewed again, in line with the 3 yearly requirements.

·         The Council’s current Statement of Principles was first approved and took effect from 31 January 2007, and it has been updated and re-published in 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019. 

·         The Statement of Principles must be published four weeks before it comes into effect.

·         It comes into effect on 31 January 2022 and hence it must be published by 3 January 2022 the Statement will then remain in force until January 2025.

The report noted that there are three licensing objectives under the Gambling Act 2005 namely:

·         Preventing gambling from being a source of, or associated with, crime and disorder.

·         Ensuring gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.

·         Protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approved the draft Gambling Statement of Principles detailed in Appendix 1 and 2 of the report and authorised the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to consult upon them between 10 September 2021 and 24 October 2021 and that the results of that consultation be reported back to this committee.