Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the Building Control Representative, Councillor Ali Demirci (Chair) and Councillor Joseph Ejiofor, who was substituted by Councillor Sheila Peacock.

Councillor David Browne was in the Chair.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business under the agenda item to which they refer.  It being a special meeting of the Committee, under the Council’s Constitution, Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 17, no other business shall be considered at the meeting.

It being a special meeting of the Committee, under the Council’s Constitution, Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 17, no other business shall be considered at the meeting.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at he commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member’s judgement of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

Councillor Gina Adamou declared that she was a Haringey Ward Councillor.

Committee Members were informed that being Harringay Ward Councillors, in which Finsbury Park was situated, did not present them with prejudicial interests.

The Chair will explain the procedure that the Committee will follow for the hearing considered under the Licensing Act 2003. A copy of the procedure is attached.

The procedure was noted.

To consider an application to allow Provision of Regulated Entertainment at the event.

Please note that, it being a special meeting of the Committee, under the Council’s Constitution, Part 4, Section B, paragraph 17, no other business shall be considered.

The Committee received the application for a new Premises Licence by Ms Arzu Pesmen of the Kurdish Community Centre in respect of Newroz 2011 on the 27^th March 2011, Finsbury Park, London, N4 under the Licensing Act. 

The Licensing Officer introduced the application and the additional bundle of paperwork submitted by the Applicant.

The Licensing Officer expressed concern that 5000 tickets had been produced for the event and the license would only allow for 4999 people to be present. In response the Applicant confirmed that only 4999 tickets were valid and all staff and stall-holders would each be required to be in possession of a ticket.  In response to a question from Councillor Brabazon about organisers could ensure the event did not exceed the allocated figures for attendance the Applicant confirmed that SIA Security staff at the entrance to the event would use clickers to count people entering and leaving.  These numbers would be regularly reported to the event management.  Ticket stubs would also be kept and counted as an additional method of recording numbers and representatives from the responsible authorities would also be at the event to monitor.

The Committee noted the statement of the Licensing Officer including that the Applicant had amended the requested opening hours to 12:00 to 19:00 hours but there were still concerns from the responsible authorities regarding management of the event that had not been addressed particularly around crowd control and political memorabilia being displayed.

In response to questions to the Licensing Officer it was noted that the stewards at the event were volunteers and that those staffing the lost children area would be checked by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and those CRB checks would be shown to the Licensing Authority.

The Committee agreed to vary the order of proceedings to allow the Applicant and her representative, Mr Yashar Ismailoglu, to explain how the additional documentation addressed the representations previously made by the responsible authorities, including:

·                    Daylight would end at 19:25 hrs and the event would cease at 19:00 therefore there was no longer a need for additional lighting on the site.

·                    Details of barriers to be used for crowd control were included in the bundle.

·                    Bonfires and fireworks would not be permitted.

·                    People entering the event would be searched; staff will be specially trained for this.

·                    Any banned items would be confiscated for the duration of the event.

·                    Attendees wearing any political badges on their clothes or displaying political flags would be asked to remove the items and if they did not cooperate they would be asked to leave the event.

·                    The event Health and Safety Policy, specific duties for staff and an updated evacuation plan were included in the additional documents.

·                    Attendees were discouraged from bringing their cars to the event.

In response to questions the Applicant and her representative informed the Committee that of the 100 staff to be employed on the day 20 would be SIA registered professional security staff, 15 would receive specific SIA training  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.