Watford Borough Council

The council issues alcohol and entertainment licences in the Borough, and new powers have recently been introduced by the government, including:

• a new offence for under-18s who persistently possess alcohol in a public place
• extending the police’s powers to issue ‘directions to leave’ to include young people aged 10-15
• amending police powers with regard to the confiscation of alcohol, so that they no longer need to prove that the individual ‘intended’ to consume it
• changing the offence of persistently selling alcohol to under 18s from three strikes within three months to two strikes in the same period.

Local councillors now also have the right to make representations to the council about licensing applications, and to call for licences for pubs, clubs, off-licences and restaurants to be reviewed by the council when they threaten the licensing objectives of crime prevention, public safety, public nuisance and child protection.

Previously, councillors could only act if they personally lived or worked in the vicinity of the premises, or if their constituents asked them to act on their behalf. Now councillors can act on their own initiative about premises anywhere in the Borough.

Welcoming the new powers, Councillor Derek Scudder, Portfolio holder for Environmental Services and Hertfordshire Police Authority representative, said:

“Councillors can also now object to licence applications that undermine the licence objectives or to call time on premises which might cause nuisance and disturbance to the community. We will be able to reflect residents’ concerns more effectively than before when operators apply for late night licences, particularly in the town centre, and to call for reviews when operators step out of line.

“These new powers will also give the police the powers they need to tackle under-age drinking in public places, which cause residents concern.”

For more information about licensing issues, contact the Watford Borough Council licensing team on tel: 01923 278503 or email: licensing@watford.gov.uk.