Agenda item

[Report of the Director for Environment and Neighbourhoods. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Civic Services]

The Gambling Act 2005 requires the Licensing authority to review and adopt its policy every 3 years under section 349 of the legislation.  Cabinet will be asked to consider the response to the consultation and asked to recommend the policy for full Council adoption.

The Cabinet Member for Civic Services introduced this report which sought Cabinet to consider the response to the consultation regarding the review of the Council’s Gambling Policy and to recommend it to Full Council for adoption. The report set out the Fees & Charges that were proposed to be applied to services from the start of 2019/20. The report considered the relevant factors affecting the review of fees and charges, identified those services where an increase was being proposed and sought approval to increase the fee or charge rate to those services where an increase is proposed in line with inflation, and Member’s agreement where an alternative approach was being proposed.

The Cabinet Member noted the Council had compiled information on the level of crime and deprivation in each ward as well as mapping the locations of schools and vulnerable service providers. It was intended for this to be used by betting operators as they were required to be mindful of the areas in which they operate and, if they operated in a vulnerable area, they should be conscientious of the makeup of that area they were operating.

The Cabinet Member stated one response had been received during the consultation, which requested that Woodside Ward be included in the list of vulnerable areas as the betting shops on Lordship Lane given the significant level of crime in its immediate area. That request was accepted.

Following questions from Cllrs Tucker, Ibrahim, Berryman, Dennison, Connor, the following was noted:

• Officers confirmed there were no casinos within Haringey and there was no risk of that changing unless the Secretary of State increased the number of casino licenses across the country.
• Government had not set out the outcome of the changes to the fixed odd betting terminals and any implementation date for changes had not been set.
• The Council was anticipating an increase in the number of bingo operators but they would be required to consider the local area profiles when deciding on suitable locations.
• Officers assured Cabinet that the Council had been robust in dealing with questionable practices of certain private members clubs (especially around Green Lanes) which had led to a change in how those businesses operated.
• There were three licensed social clubs off Philip Lane and Officers confirmed they received regular enforcement checks. On occasion, illegal gaming machines had been found on those premises and officers would perform a tailgate operation and destroy such machines on site, if discovered.
• All adult gaming centres were required to be licensed. Officers noted adult gaming centres generated similar level of crimes to betting shops, partly due to damage to betting machines being recorded as criminal damage.
• The Gambling Commission had introduced a requirement for the staff of betting operators to perform a welfare check on customers when they had concern for their wellbeing, if, for example, they remained at a machine for a significant period.
• New conditions introduced in the revised Statement of Gambling Policy centred on fraud prevention. Betting operators were required to improve their practice to ensure no fraud took place on their premises. Whilst the Licensing Authority would assist, it would fundamentally be the responsibility of the Gambling Commission to ensure that there was no fraud related activity on premises.
• Regarding risk assessments, operators within the borough had been requested to submit their local area risk assessment and all, but one, had complied.
• The Cabinet Member informed all measures would be considered to reduce harm to individuals by the enforcement activity the Council undertook.

RESOLVED

1.    To consider and take into account the outcome of the consultation on the draft Statement of Gambling Policy set out in paragraph 8.3 and Appendix 3 of the report and the Equality Impact Assessment screening tool set out in Appendix 4.

2.    To note the supplementary guidance containing the local area profile information at Appendix 2;

3.    To approve the draft Statement of Gambling Policy in Appendix 1; and

4.    To recommend to Full Council to approve and adopt the Policy.

Reasons for decision

The Council is obliged to review and adopt a Statement of Licensing Policy for Gambling every three years, the current policy expired in January 2019. Therefore a new policy has to be adopted.

Alternative options considered

No alternatives were considered. It is a legislative requirement that the policy be reviewed at least every three years, and that a public consultation is carried out. Failure to review and adopt the Statement of Gambling Policy would result in the Council failing to comply with legislation.