Brent Licensing Committee approves Stage 1 of Northwick Park K-Pop Festival with conditions. Further conditions possible at Stage 2 and 21 days for Appeal to Magistrates Court

 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.