'Extend deadline for pub licences'

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Wednesday 29th Jun 2005.

Bradford Council will now write to the Government requesting that it extend the deadlines for new pub, club and restaurant licences.

Yesterday's meeting of the full Council backed a Conservative amendment in favour of the letter, although Labour and Green group members did not support it.

The motion was put before the Council after it became clear only a fraction of licensees have so far applied for the new permits.

Current licences for around 1,800 pubs, clubs, restaurants and takeaways expire in November and owners have to apply for new ones by August 6, but fewer than 300 have done so.

The Licensing Act 2003 handed local authorities the power to issue licences to pubs, clubs and landlords, with the new system taking effect from November 24.

Council licensing officers fear now they will be flooded by a last-minute rush of applications.

Speaking in support of his group's winning amendment the Council's deputy leader Councillor Kris Hopkins (Con, Worth Valley) said: "We are concerned that with 39 days to go some 80 per cent of those who could have applied have not. The impact could be alarming as there are hundreds of businesses out there who will be affected and that means hundreds of families and hundreds of customers."

However, Councillor Lynne Joyce (Lab, Keighley Central) said: "We have known about this for a long time. This Council has to take its responsibility seriously and increase staff in the licensing department. We have got the financial capacity to deal with this situation. We can afford to send somebody to knock on every door to hound applications out and, as a responsible authority, it is our duty to do so."

l The Council's Corporate Plan, which sets out its recent achievements and its agenda for the next year, was passed by members after Liberal Democrats voted against it and Labour abstained.

lThe West Yorkshire Transport Plan, which is a funding bid to Government for the region's transport infrastructure, was passed with a Labour amendment. It called for a report into how bus companies can better help the wider transport needs of the district through keeping services running and fares low.

lTwo petitions, one calling for a cross rail link and another asking that shop pavement displays be kept, were both referred to the executive.

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