Greens say “Lamppost Licensing” fails Sheffield taxpayers

Greens have highlighted how Sheffield Council’s Licensing Policy is failing to meet its stated objectives in their submission to the public consultation that ended on July 13th. Eamonn Ward (Broomhill & Sharrow Vale Green Party ward organiser) comments:

“The Licensing process is not remotely user friendly for the general public. I see a lot of applications for licensed premises in and around Ecclesall Rd and Broomhill Shopping Centre. Residents have to find applications via a fascination for looking at lampposts in their area or the classifieds in the Sheffield Telegraph. There is an expectation that people engaging are professionals, with little help offered to the general public who might just want to protest about the terrible noise from all the events on the park opposite their house.

We rarely engage and don’t encourage others to engage as they will find the process confusing and meetings and decisions frustrating. Too often it feels like you are an inconvenience and It leaves people wondering why they got involved in the first place. It means this council Licensing objective is simply not met: “ensure the relevant views of those affected by licensed premises are taken into consideration”.

Notes

1. The consultation ended July 13th and was https://sheffield.citizenspace.com/place-business-strategy/the-licensing-act-2003-statement-of-principles-pol/
2. Sheffield City Council’s Stated Licensing Objectives are:
   Licensing objectives shouldprovide applicants with a clear, consistent basis for submitting applications and notices

   provide a clear, consistent basis for determining applications

   ensure the relevant views of those affected by licensed premises are taken into consideration

   support wider strategies of the City Council and the approach to licensing in the city

3. Eamonn Ward’s full submission to the consultation for Broomhill & Sharrow Vale Green Party was:
   “Residents have to find applications via a fascination for looking at lampposts in their area or the classifieds in the Telegraph.People on the mailing lists don’t receive them every Monday like planning apps. They come as and when with differing gaps of up to 3 weeks. For a time critical process this is not frequent enough. All too often it’s a struggle to get the information you need before the deadline for comments. Contrast this with Planning where comprehensive information is on the database.

   There is not enough relevant information on the e-mail list. Requests for more information are responded to inconsistently despite often pointing out looming deadlines. I expect this relates to staffing but I have no awareness of that other than in lockdown where home working situations have been outlined in responses.

   Anyone engaging with the process will find it difficult to understand from start to finish. There is an expectation that people engaging are professionals in this area, with little help offered to the general public who want to protest about the terrible noise from all the events on the park opposite their house.

   People who do go to meetings to speak are entirely reliant on councillors and others they may have liaised with on what will happen. No one tells you in advance that the applicants could grill you in the meeting. You get little information from those running the meeting to help your understanding and could easily get slapped down for talking out of turn while the applicants solicitor trots out the familiar script about student bar landlords being happy to give their number to local people for noise issues etc.

   Overall, it often feels like you are an inconvenience when you engage with the process. It is not remotely user friendly for the general public who will not be made aware of applications on their doorstep. So this objective is simply not met: “ensure the relevant views of those affected by licensed premises are taken into consideration”.

   Generally, I rarely engage and don’t encourage others to engage as they will find the process confusing and meetings and decisions frustrating leaving them wondering why they got involved in the first place.”