Agenda and draft minutes

To record the attendance of substitute members, if any, who have been authorised to attend in accordance with the provisions of standing order 17(1) with notification having been given to the proper officer before the start of the meeting and to receive apologies for absence. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Janet Morgan.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the committee meeting held on 20 May 2009 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 20 May 2009 were adopted and signed as a correct record.

To receive any declarations of personal or personal and prejudicial interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

Any councillor with a personal interest or a personal and prejudicial interest in accordance with the provisions of the code of conduct, in any matter to be considered at a meeting, must declare the existence and nature of that interest as soon as the interest becomes apparent in accordance with the provisions of the code.

When a councillor declares a personal and prejudicial interest he shall also state if he has a dispensation from the Standards Committee entitling him/her to speak, or speak and vote on the matter concerned.

Where any councillor has declared a personal and prejudicial interest he shall withdraw from the room while the matter is under consideration unless

(a)               his/her disability to speak, or speak and vote on the matter has been removed by a dispensation granted by the Standards Committee, or

(b)               members of the public are allowed to make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter by statutory right or otherwise.  If that is the case, the councillor can also attend the meeting for that purpose.  However, the councillor must immediately leave the room once he/she has finished; or when the meeting decides he/she has finished whichever is the earlier and in any event the councillor must leave the room for the duration of the debate on the item in which he/she has a personal and prejudicial interest. 

None.

To receive notification of any matters, which the Chair determines, should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances, which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the Chair. 

None.

Any statements, petitions and questions from the public under standing order 32 will be made or presented at the meeting. 

None.

To receive and consider report 74/09 of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services. 

The committee received and considered report 74/09 of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services.  The report considered feedback from the public consultation on the draft revised gambling policy. 

During the 12 week consultation period only one response had been received, praising the council for having a “no casino” policy.  This had been included in the original policy since 2005 and no change was proposed in the revised draft. 

The committee reviewed the policy and made the following changes:

• Paragraph 1.3.3 - delete “the statement shall be in force by 31 December 2009” and substitute with “the statement shall be in force by 31 January 2010”
• Paragraph 2.4.3 - include sports clubs in this list
• Paragraph 2.4.8 - include further information on where conditions in the fast track procedure can be found that are required for Club Gaming and Club Machine permits.
• Include full contact details in the list of responsible authorities
• Remove the word Acting from Acting Chief Constable Thames Valley Police
• Abbreviations to be written in full at the first opportunity, DCMS (Department of Culture, Media and Sport) and LACORS (Local Authorities Coordinator of Regulatory Services).

RESOLVED

(a)       that authority be delegated to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to update the statement of policy for submission to council, reflecting the committee’s decisions; 

R E C O M M E N D E D

(b)       that the Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Policy be adopted with effect from 31 January 2010, as appended to these minutes; and

(c)        that authority be delegated to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to make any minor changes necessary. 

None