Environmental Health (Licensing) - Environmental Framework

Wealden District Council aims to protect and enhance its local Environment and wants to develop an Environmental Framework which can be applied to the Licensing area.

The Council licences numerous activities and has several policies covering the supply of alcohol, entertainment, gambling, and taxis. These policies are drawn up in line with relevant legislation and information.

In addition, we want to develop supplementary guidance which considers the impact on the environment of licensed premises, activities, and events. We want to encourage good practice and behaviour that protects the environment both in the short and longer term.

We are interested in any views that people have about this subject and welcome views from people who live, work, or visit the Wealden district.

A public consultation on this subject ran for two months during December 2023 and February 2024, with 78 responses received. A summary of the feedback is set out below:

Premises and Event Licensing

• Topics mentioned included: discourage single use plastics, encourage organisers to remove their own rubbish, incentivise the availability of local produce, support operators and businesses to use best practice rather than penalising them.
• There was comment about the need to be careful not to place restrictions on traditional events, charities etc. as this will increase the cost and potentially make it difficult/impossible or more costly for events to go ahead.
• The lack or availability of useful or convenient public transport was highlighted as a problem within the area and it was felt that there's a need to be careful about placing restrictions on private vehicles as felt this could affect event attendance.
• Additional support for premises licence holders and event organisers should be considered as these changes are introduced.

Taxi Licensing

• There were a range of views expressed about whether an environment framework should promote the use of electric, hybrid and less polluting vehicles. There were a lot of concerns about: the cost and range of electric taxis, that there are not enough charging points and if this policy would provide a beneficial or measurable benefit or not.
• There were a few comments around: encouraging not enforcing any conditions developed, consider reducing council fees to encourage more taxi drivers and perhaps develop support or funding to assist drivers to move over to using electric vehicles.
• There were however, a few people who commented that they were in support of the policy.
• Comments were also received about whether taxi sharing for passengers was to be encouraged. There was generally little support for this, and the concerns were: it was unsafe particularly for vulnerable people or sharing could be intimidating for some passengers and that it could affect the income of drivers as they make less journeys.

Animal Welfare

• There were quite a range of comments regarding Animal Welfare Licensing. In general people did consider that animals should be protected but many considered that current legislation is adequate and there would be little benefit in further guidance.
• There were also comments about potential restriction on animal transportation causing issues for local events, effects of activities on local wildlife – light, noise, fire, breeding disturbance and overwhelming agreement that events should not give pets as prizes and that animals should not be inappropriate dressed up or handled unnecessarily or inappropriately.

Licensed Activities

• The comments received around other council licensed activity not covered by the areas above, were varied and difficult to summarise into obvious themes or trends.

A report to Wealden District Council's Licensing Committee recommends the relevant portfolio holder develops an Environmental Framework to guide future licensing policies.

The full report went to committee on 15th March 2024 and can be viewed here Environmental Framework Licensing Committee report.