Today's Licensing Sub-Committee was a lengthy process with plenty of detail that I will cover in a later blog post.
After the Sub-Committee convened in private (no press or public) they issued the folowing statement. Audibility was poor in the Boardroom (no microphones) but this is the gist of what I recorded in the statement that was given verbally.
The Sub-Committee has made its decision irrespective of any political considerations.
Regarding the view of one resident that the application be declared void, the Sub-Committee do not consider it should be voided. They consider that sufficiuent documentation had been provided and had been made available to all parties and time given for representations to be made.
Therefore the Sub-Committee do not agree that the application should be voided.
The Sub-Committee had regard that they should make a decision that is proportional and justified by the evidence presented to it.
The Sub-Committee listened carefully to the represenations made by the parties at the heaing and have taken full account of every representation.
The Sub-Committee are aware of the fact that this application is Stage 1 of a two stage process. The Brent Safety Advisory Group (BSAG) still has to give the go-ahead taking into account what has happened at this stage. That go-ahead has NOT been given as yet.
Further the final timing and the duration of the event [K-Pop Festival] will be dependent on what that final determination is.
So the role of this consultation is to determine the impact of the event on the licensing objectives and that is the only role that the Sub-Committee plays today.
The Sub-Committee notes that the applicant has met with residents and plan to continue to meet them, especially for a debrief, prior to this year's and future events.
The applicant has confirmed that they will provide a [dedicated] telephone mumber for residents to use for any concerns they have when the event is taking place.
The Sub-Committee has taken full account of the fact that the applicant has agreed to adhere to all the conditions set by the licensing officers, the [inaudible] consultants and public safety officers - in other words, the responsible authorities.
In the circumstances therefore the Sub-Committee have decided that it is indeed appropriate to grant the licence, in short, subject to the conditions agreed and any additional conditions given by BSAG (Brent Safety Advisory Group).
The Sub-Committee are also of the view that adherence to these conditions, and other undertakings that were given by the applicant, do promote the licensing objectives.
A more detailed decision will be issued shortly and once that decision is with you, you will have 21 days from the date of the decision notice to appeal the decision of the Sub-Committee if you are not in agreement.
That appeal must of course be made to the Magistrates Court.
This is a shortend version of the decision and a more detailed version will be sent in due course.
12 comments:
Thank you for reporting this, Martin. I was at the hearing as an observer, and the result is no surprise. The tone of the meeting was palpably unsympathetic to the objectors, and it appeared the result was a foregone conclusion. Residents should be aware that apart from the obvious issues of noise, public safety, litter, transport and damage to the playing fields, we were told that work on the festival will last 14-17 days - much longer than the two days in June.
Hi Martin, thank you so much for being there. We tried our best.
We are still rocking at the proposal of the applicant to install a CPZ in the entire area so that their traffic and emergency services can get through to the event area. They obviously believe that attendees will come by car and coach. So why didn't the committee agree that traffic would not be an issue?
Secondly, there is no public nuisance to the residents of the two cottages that are part of the pavilion complex, ie right next to the 8 foot high steel fence of the event area.
You couldn't make it up, but then this is Brent and we have ineffective ward councillors, and complient ones on the Licensing Committee (and almost all all other council committees).
Has anyone found out how much the event organisers have agreed to pay Brent Council for the use of Northwick Park, if their licence is approved and the event goes ahead?
I suspect that may be a factor influencing the councillors involved, especially if their Leader is in favour of the event being staged there.
And will the money actually go towards the cost of providing the services that Brent residents genuinely need, rather than into the Communications budget (events and advertising are part of the Council's "Communications" department), which funds all of the publicity for the Council Leader and his Cabinet members - see my guest post last July:
https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2024/07/bobby-moore-bridge-murals-where-will.html
The Licensing Committee has limited powers and is very tightly regulated and is always stacked up against residents as difficult to substantiate the 'nuisance' and other problems until after the event.
The key issue to challenge is the 'political' decision made by the Labour Leadership that it is OK to hold these kind of large scale commercial events in our Parks and Open Spaces which deprive local people from using them for weeks on end.
The objectors are nimbies, there was nothing wrong with this.
I’m sure we all are not shocked at this licence being given yet again the opinions of local residents are disregarded. The view that Brent holds about working with the community
is not worth the paper it is written on. Every time we object to local issues permission is granted anyway we as residents with opinions have become irrelevant. Why is it that a grant from The Arts Council is spent on an event that does not represent our Community???
And we have to put up with the disruption as well as patients and staff in the nearby hospital.
And where do you live??
It’s interesting that East Lane Theatre Club which has been active in The Borough since 1936 and which has provided cultural entertainment for the residents of the borough , is now on the verge of of closure , as the Brent Council is demanding the exorbitant amount of £75,000 a year rent for the premises, although the Company own the building . This is Brent the Borough of Culture
Brent council hate their residents
Very true re limited and regulated powers of the licensing committee
As a K-Pop fans, many of the objections mostly proves you don't know much about the communitee. While I understand being cautions, maybe look into what you're objecting to a bit more.
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