Agenda item

i)                    To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Advisory Committee held on  8 July 2008  (attached marked A).

                        ii)         To consider any matters arising from the Minutes.

                        iii)        To note the draft minutes of the meeting of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 22 July 2008 and the responses of the Board to recommendations of the Advisory Committee, (attached marked B, Bi, Bii), and the draft minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park Consultative Committee held on 15 July 2008 (attached marked C).

The Chair, in seeking the Committee’s approval to the circulated Alexandra Park and Palace Advisory Committee of  8 July 2008, and noting the minutes of the Board of 22 July 2008, and the Consultative Committee of 15 July 2008, asked if there were any points of clarification, or matters arising.

Mr Aspden raised the issue of the track betting licence for the world darts championship, and the advice received from the Council’s Legal Services in respect of this Committee’s remit in considering the licence application.  The Committee then discussed the issue of the licence awarded in respect of the World’s Darts Championship. The advice of the Council’s Head of Legal Services had been received in late February 2008 in relation to the remit of this Committee, and that that advice  had not then been considered by the Advisory Committee in March due to other pressures and considerations.

The Committee considered the advice received which had stated that in the view of the Council’s Head of Legal Services officer the matter of the licence application was not one for consideration by the Advisory Committee and was not within this Committee’s remit.

The Committee expressed the view that given that the event was of considerable importance and size, this was a matter that should be considered by the Committee, and after discussion commented that it disagreed with the advice.  It was felt that the Council’s Head of Legal Services officer attend a specially convened meeting of the Advisory Committee in mid November 2008 to give the reasons for the expressed view, and dependent upon that view, the Advisory Committee seek further legal opinion.

The Chair summarised and it was:

RESOLVED

i.                    That the minutes of the meeting of the Alexandra Park and Palace Advisory Committee held on 8 July 2008 be agreed as an accurate record of the proceedings;

ii.                  That the minutes of the meeting of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board held on 22 July 2008, and the minutes of the Alexandra Palace and Park  Consultative Committee held on 15 July 2008 be noted;

iii.                That in respect of the legal clarification of advice given by the LB Haringey re:- the Gaming Licence (Occasional Use Notice) under section 39 of the Gambling Act 2005, and the Advisory Committee’s remit

a.      That the Board be requested to note that the Advisory Committee does not agree with the advice received from  the LB Haringey’s Legal Service that the matter did not fall  within its remit;

b.   That the Advisory Committee intends  to convene either a Special or Urgency Sub-Committee meeting in  mid November 2008 to discuss the  advice and that it has requested that the LB Haringey’s Legal Service attend that meeting for the purpose of the Committee receiving the advice and having an opportunity to consider the same with the officers/ advisers concerned; and

c.  That the Advisory Committee intends to consider (following such meeting) obtaining a second opinion as to the legal advice tendered by the LB Haringey’s Legal Service.