Licensing
Last updated: January 27, 2009
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
The Licensing Act 2003 modernised the legislation governing the sale and supply of alcohol and public entertainment licensing. The Act transferred liquor licensing powers from the Magistrates’ Courts to local authorities, via the creation of ‘Licensing Authorities’. The current fixed hours when alcohol can be sold are also to be removed so that licence applicants can request their own hours of operation.
All the 10 local authority councils in Greater Manchester are licensing authorities, under the Licensing Act 2003, and are responsible for granting premises licences, club premises certificates, temporary event notices and personal licences in respect of the retail sale and/or supply of alcohol and the provision of regulated entertainment and late night refreshment.
All local authority areas through Local Safeguarding Children Boards [LSCBs] are required to ensure that all children and young people are safeguarded and through Every Child Matters are required to achieve the five outcomes that are key to children and young people’s wellbeing; these are:
- staying safe,
- being healthy,
- enjoying and achieving,
- making a positive contribution
- achieving economic wellbeing.
All LSCBs in Greater Manchester acknowledge the negative impact that alcohol has across all of these five outcomes for children and young people. In fulfilling their statutory responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and in particular in relation to the staying safe outcome the licensing of premises selling alcohol is a central feature of their work.
All LCSB contribution to multi agency actions to tackle premises causing a problem in their community and will participate in the process for new licence applications.
