Grounds for complaint
At the heart of the licensing regime are four objectives and all decisions must relate to these. If you want to object to any application for a licence, or request a review of an existing licence, your representation must be based on the four licensing objectives:
- Prevention of crime and disorder
- Public safety
- Protection of children from harm
- Prevention of public nuisance (this includes odour, litter, noise and light pollution)
Other legislation
The licensing regime is not the only way to regulate licensed premises and other legislation may apply. Legislation to control noise, safety or fire safety problems may be more appropriate to deal with a particular problem. You may find it beneficial to discuss your concerns with the licensing officer before you take any of the courses of action described below.
Representation against an application for a premises licence or club premises certificate
When someone applies for a premises licence or club premises certificate, or if they want to vary their licence, they have to notify the public of their application by putting a notice in the local press (once) and by displaying a pale blue notice on the premises for 28 days. If you are an interested party, you then have the opportunity to make a representation. An interested party can be an individual (such as a resident), or a business, but must be in the vicinity of the premises applying.
Although you may make your representations or objections known to a licensing officer by telephone or face-to-face, these cannot be submitted to the council's committee. All representations therefore need to be sent to the council’s licensing team direct in writing and must include the following information:
- Details of the premises in question
- Your objections and a note of which licensing objectives apply to your comments
- Your contact details so we can confirm receipt and invite you to any hearing to determine the licence application
Under the Licensing Act 2003, the council has to make a decision on any application within set timescales. There is a time limit for making your views known; generally this will be 28 days from when the application was received by the council. For your objection to be considered, it will have to be received by the council’s licensing team within this 28-day period.
Details of live licensing applications will be published here.
Representations cannot be of a repetitious, frivolous or vexatious nature. When we receive a valid representation we may arrange a hearing before the licensing committee at which all concerned parties can express their views. The committee will then give a verdict.
If you are unsure about how to make a representation, please contact the licensing team. Our contact details are given below.
Request a review of an existing licence
At any stage following the granting of a premises licence or club premises certificate, an interested party, such as a resident living in the vicinity of the premises, or a responsible authority, such as the police or the fire authority, can apply to the licensing authority for a review of a licence or certificate where problems are occurring.
Reviews may be called, for example, where there is evidence of ongoing nuisance despite the service of a noise abatement notice by the council, or where the police or council officers witness breeches of licence conditions. In any case there must be evidence in support of the request for review. The council has the ability to dismiss objections that it considers vexatious, repetitive or frivolous. However, the application must be on grounds relating to one or more of the licensing objectives (see the section above on grounds for complaint).
It is the duty of the person applying for the review to notify the premises licence holder and the responsible authorities with details of the application.
Application form for the review of a premises licence or club premises certificate
For more information, please visit this government information about making a representation, or visit our page on licensing consultations.
Contact:
Licensing Team, Tamworth Borough Council, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, B79 7BZ
Tel: 01827 709709. Email: envhealthadmin@tamworth.gov.uk