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Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 - latest update

25 April 2012 is looming!

The ‘Licensing Act 2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) (Amendment) Regulations 2012’ have just been laid before Parliament for approval and the next step on the way to the introduction of various measures contained within the above Act and which are due to come into effect on 25 April. We have previously anticipated these changes before – please see our article of 3rd March 2012 'Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act'.

The most notable amendment is that the category of “interested party” is removed from the Act to enable any person to participate in the various processes set out in that Act, regardless of their physical proximity to the premises concerned.

Further, there is a requirement on a Licensing Authority to advertise an application for the grant or variation of a licence or certificate, or the application for a provisional statement. The Licensing Authority must advertise the application for the period of 28 days starting on the day after the day on which it receives the application, and it must publish a notice on its website containing other information which in all cases, must include the applicant’s name, certain addresses, the date by which persons can make representations and the manner in which such representations should be made hence bringing the application to the attention of persons likely to be affected by it. This will no doubt prevent a reoccurrence of the point raised in the Albert Hall case (for more details see 'The Albert Hall Case - Court of Appeal decision') in relation to notification being provided to residents by a Licensing Authority.

The Regulations can be found here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/955/made

As for the promised updated Guidance on all these changes………………………………