Agenda item

To give consideration to a report which invites the Committee to determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence to justify amending the Cumulative Impact Assessment by the addition of Park View, Whitley Bay and/or the Fish Quay, North Shields to the areas covered by the Cumulative Impact Assessment.

Consideration was given to a report on a potential variation of the Authority’s Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) to include Park View, Whitley Bay and/or the Fish Quay, North Shields.

At its meeting held on 7 October 2021 (minute L5/21 refers) the Committee had considered the consultation responses in relation to the review of the CIA and agreed that it remained of the view that no further licences for alcohol led premises should be granted in relation to premises in the South Parade area of Whitley Bay and the area around Front Street, Tynemouth.  It also acknowledged that there did not appear to be sufficient evidence to warrant the inclusion of Park View or the Fish Quay in the CIA and requested that officers gather evidence in relation to both areas to allow the Committee to determine whether to consult on the inclusion or either or both of the areas in the CIA.

A report was presented to the Committee on the 31 March 2022 (Minute L12/21 refers) which set out the evidence that had been collected in relation to Park View and the Fish Quay.  The Committee considered that further data was required which included the summer months.  

In relation to the North Shields Fish Quay consideration was given to the information provided by Northumbria Police in respect of violent crime and anti-social behaviour.  From the information available the police had concluded that neither the night-time economy nor licensed premises had had an adverse effect on crime and anti-social behaviour levels.   It was explained that crime and anti-social behaviour in the Fish Quay area only accounted for 0.6% of all recorded crimes in the North Shields Area.  It was also explained that during the same period several licensing inspections had taken place in the area and no issues of concerns had been identified.  The Environmental Health Department had also provided data for consideration and confirmed that there had been one complaint of excessive noise received in relation to the area.

In relation to Park View, Whitley Bay Northumbria Police had provided information in relation to violent crime and anti-social behaviour for the period January to August 2022 along with historical data from 2018 to 2021.  It was explained that shoplifting had been the main criminal activity in the area, violence and anti-social behaviour had only accounted for 0.3% of all crime in the Whitley Bay area.   The Police had therefore concluded that neither the night-time economy nor licensed premises in the area had had an adverse effect on crime and anti-social behaviour levels in the area.  The Environmental Health Department had confirmed that it had received two complaints in relation to excessive noise in the area and Licensing Officers had carried out several licensing visits to the area which had not identified any areas of concern.

In view of the above the Committee concluded that there was currently insufficient evidence of crime and disorder linked to licensed premises in either area to warrant he commencement of a consultation exercise on their inclusion in an updated CIA. It was noted that the CIA was reviewed on a regular basis and should there be a change in levels of crime and disorder in either or both areas then consideration could be given to an amendment to the CIA. 

Resolved that (1) the evidence in relation Park View, Whitley Bay and the Fish Quay, North Shield be noted;

(2) No further action be taken in relation undertaking a review of the CIA at this time