BOROUGH OF POOLE

PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

10th FEBRUARY 2010

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSUMER PROTECTION SERVICES

LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1982 Review of Regulations prescribing standard conditions applicable to licences for Sex Establishments

PART OF THE PUBLISHED FORWARD PLAN NO

STATUS (Strategic, Service Delivery Information)

  1. PURPOSE

1.1To update the existing Borough of Poole standard conditions applicable to applications for a sex establishment.

  1. DECISION(S) REQUIRED

2.1That the Environment Portfolio Holder accepts the changes to the existing standard conditions.

  1. BACKGROUND/INFORMATION

3.1The Borough of Poole resolved to bring in Schedule 3 of The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 on the 1st Feb 1983.

3.2The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 provides rider for the appropriate authority to make regulations prescribing standard conditions applicable to licenses for sex establishments.

3.3In addition to standard condition the appropriate authority can set additional conditions specific to the premises as required.

3.4The existing standard conditions have not been reviewed since the adoption of Schedule 3 of the Act in 1983.

3.5Schedule 3 of the Act has been amended by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 with the inclusion of S13. 1 that states ‘the appropriate authority cannot prescribe standard conditions that relate to regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005’.

3.6If the application is not dealt with within the 15 days it is automatically refused.

3.7The Licensing Committee would still be able to include special conditions relevant to each application and be required to make a decision on the minor variation application.

  1. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

4.1.There are no financial implications.

  1. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

5.1None.

6.RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

6.1Not Applicable.

7.EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

7.1No impact.

8.CONCLUSIONS

8.1Changes in legislation and the new technological developments has resulted in some aspects of the standard conditions becoming obsolete or not fit for purpose. The changes to the standard conditions brings them in line with current legislation and ensure that they are robust, relevant and fit for purpose.

Shaun Robson

Head of Environmental and Consumer Protection Services

Contact OfficerFrank Wenzel

Principal Officer - Licensing

(01202) 261782

Background Papers:

1.Borough Of Poole LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1982 Regulations prescribing standard conditions applicable to licences for Sex Establishments. (Proposed)


Borough Of Poole

LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1982

Regulations prescribing standard conditions applicable to licences for Sex Establishments.

DEFINITIONS

  1. In these Regulations save when the context otherwise requires the following expressions shall have the following meanings:
  1. In these standard conditions, the following expressions, that is to say “Sex Establishment”, “Sex Shop”, “Sex Cinema” and “Sex Article” shall have the meanings ascribed to them in Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.
  1. “Premises” means any building or part of a building and any forecourt yard or place of storage used in connection with a building or part of a building, which is subject of a licence for a Sex Establishment granted under the said Schedule 3.
  1. “Licensee” means the person to whom the licence has been granted or transferred under the said Schedule 3.
  1. “Approval of the Council” or “Consent of the Council” means the approval or consent of the Council in writing.
  1. “Approved” means approved by the Council in writing.
  1. “The Council” means Borough of Poole.

GENERAL

  1. In the event of a conflict between these standard conditions and any special conditions contained in a licence relating to a Sex Establishment, the special conditions shall prevail.
  1. The grant of a licence for a Sex Establishment shall not be deemed to convey any approval or consent, which may be required under any enactment, byelaw, order or regulation other than Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as amended.

TIMES OF OPERATION

  1. Except with the previous consent of the Council, a Sex Establishment shall not be open to the public before 09:00 hours and shall not be kept open after 23:00 hours.
  1. Except with the previous consent of the Council, a Sex Establishment shall not be open on Sundays or any Bank Holidays or any public holidays.

CONDUCT AND MANAGEMENT OF SEX ESTABLISHMENTS

  1. Where the licensee is a body corporate or an unincorporated body, any change of director, company secretary or other person responsible for the management of the body is to notify the Council in writing within 14 days of such change and such written details as the Council may require in respect of any new director, secretary or manager are to be furnished within 14 days of a request of writing from the Council.
  1. The licensee or some responsible person nominated by the Licensee in writing for the purpose of managing the Sex Establishment in the Licensee’s absence and of whom details have been supplied and approved in writing by the Council shall be in charge of and upon the premises during the whole time they are open to the public.
  1. The name of the person responsible for the management of a Sex Establishment, whether the Licensee or a manager approved by the Council shall be prominently displayed within the Sex Establishment throughout the period during which that person is responsible for its conduct.
  1. The licensee shall provide the Council with a list of all staff employed at the premises and shall advise the Council and the Dorset Police in writing of all staff changes within fourteen days of such changes.
  1. The Licensee shall retain control over all portions of the premises and shall not let, licence or part with possession of any part of the premises.
  1. No person under the age of 18 shall be admitted to the premises or employed in the business of a Sex Establishment. A notice advising no admittance to persons under the age of 18 shall be prominently displayed at or near the entrance.
  1. The Licensee shall ensure that the public is not admitted to any part or parts of the premises other than those, which have been approved by the Council.
  1. Neither the Licensee nor any employee or other person shall seek to obtain custom for the Sex Establishment by means of personal solicitation outside or in the vicinity of the Premises.
  1. The Licensee shall maintain good order in the Premises.
  1. A copy of the licence and of these Regulations are to be exhibited in accordance with paragraph 14 (1) of Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. They shall be reproductions to the same scale as those issued by the Council. The copy of the licence required to be displayed as aforesaid shall be suitably framed and the copy of these Regulations shall be retained in the shop in a clean and legible condition.

USE

  1. A Sex Shop shall be conducted primarily for the purpose of the sale of goods by retail.
  1. No change of use of any portion of the premises from that approved by the Council shall be made until the consent of the Council has been obtained.
  1. No change from a Sex Shop to a Sex Cinema shall be effected without the consent of the Council.

GOODS AVAILABLE IN SEX ESTABLISHMENTS

  1. All Sex Articles and other things displayed for sale, hire, exchange or loan within a Sex Shop shall be clearly marked to show to persons who are inside the Sex Shop the respective prices being charged.
  1. All printed matter, films and video films offered for sale, hire, exchange or loan shall be openly displayed and available for inspection prior to purchase and a notice to this effect is to be prominently displayed within the Sex Establishment.
  1. No film or video/DVD film shall be exhibited, sold or supplied unless it has been passed by the British Board of Film Classification, or such other authority performing a similar scrutinising function as may be notified to the Licensee by the Council, and bears a certificate to that effect and is a reproduction authorised by the owner of the copyright of the film or video/DVD film so certified.

EXTERNAL APPERANCE

  1. No display, advertisement, word, letter, model, sign, placard, board, notice, device, representation, drawing, writing, any matter or thing (whether illuminated or not) shall be exhibited so as to be visible from outside the premises except:
  1. Any notice of a size and in a form approved by the Council which is required to be displayed so as to be visible from outside the premises by law, or by any condition of a licence granted by the Council.
  1. Such display, advertisement, work, letter, model, sign, placard, board, notice, device, representation, drawing, writing, or any matter or thing as shall have been approved by the Council.
  1. The entrances to the premises shall be of a material or covered with a material, which will render the interior of the premises invisible to passers by.
  1. All windows must be dressed or designed so as to prevent persons outside the premises having a view of the interior.
  1. No window shall contain any sign, advertising material, goods or display without the written consent of the Council.

STATE, CONDITION AND LAYOUT OF THE PREMISES

  1. The premises shall be maintained in good repair and condition.
  1. Whilst the premises are in use they shall be adequately lit, naturally or artificially, to enable persons therein to see clearly all parts of the premises and to read readily any literature or notices displayed to customers.
  1. All parts of the premises shall be kept in a clean condition to the satisfaction of the Council.
  1. Doors and openings which lead to parts of the premises which are not open to the public shall be clearly marked “staff only” or by some other sign that deters the public from using such doors or openings.
  1. The external doors to the Sex Establishment shall be fitted with a device to provide for their automatic closure and such devices shall be maintained in a good working order.
  1. The number, size and position of all doors or openings provided for the purposes of ingress and egress of the public shall be approved by the Council.
  1. The Licensee shall make provision in the means of access both to and within the Sex Establishment for the needs of members of the public visiting the premises who are disabled.
  1. No fastenings of any description shall be fitted upon any booth or cubicle within the Sex Establishment nor shall more than one person be present in any such booth or cubicle at any time.
  1. The licensee shall take all reasonable precautions for the safety of the public and employees.
  1. No alterations or additions either internal or external and whether permanent or temporary to the structure, lighting or layout of the premises shall be made except with the prior approval of the Council.

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