Agenda and draft minutes

RESOLVED

That Councillor Jaggard be appointed Chair for the hearing.

In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, councillors are reminded that it is a requirement to declare interests where appropriate.

No disclosures of interests were made.

To consider report HCS/084of the Head of Community Services.

The Sub-Committee considered an application for the grant of a premises licence in respect of Taste of the Caribbean, Goffs Park, Horsham Road, Crawley, RH11 7JX.

Following the introduction of those present, the Senior Lawyer outlined the procedure to be followed at the hearing.  It was highlighted to all parties that the Sub-Committee had requested a pre-meeting with the Senior Lawyer and Democratic Services Officer prior to the commencement of the hearing to confirm the procedure that would be followed. It was confirmed that the Sub-Committee had asked for clarification on one aspect of the application, specifically in relation to the representation received from Sussex Police (appendix C to report HCS/084).  It had been highlighted that the document attached as appendix C related not to the current application, but instead to a similar application made by the same applicant in 2024.  It was clarified that the document had been included in the agenda in error instead of a representation from Sussex Police made in 2025.  The correct version of the document was then circulated to all parties present (attached as appendix A to these minutes).  The Senior Lawyer highlighted to the Sub-Committee that it should consider whether the late circulation of this document impacted the proceedings of the hearing in any way, and read out the relevant clauses of the Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005.  The Senior Lawyer advised the Sub-Committee that the omission of the correct document may be considered to amount to an irregularity under clauses 31 and 32 of the Regulations, and therefore that the Sub-Committee should consider whether any relevant person had been prejudiced as a result of the irregularity.  At 11:13 the Chair requested a brief adjournment to enable the Sub-Committee to read the document and consider the matter further.

At 11:18 the meeting was reconvened.  At the Chair’s request, the applicant clarified that the newly-circulated document was the correct version of their correspondence with Sussex Police, and confirmed that the the conditions contained within had been agreed to.  The Chair stated that, although the clerical error was unfortunate, the Sub-Committee members agreed that they did not believe that any person had been prejudiced as a result of the error and therefore were happy to proceed with the hearing.

The Senior Lawyer asked all parties present if they wished to make any relevant applications, for example additional information or to cross-examine any party.  No applications were made.

Report HCS/084 of the Council’s Head of Community Services was presented by Kareen Plympton, Health, Safety and Licensing Manager for Crawley Borough Council.  The Health, Safety and Licensing Manager informed the Sub-Committee that on 9 January 2025, S&A Entertainment Ltdhad submitted an application to the Council as the Licensing Authority for the borough of Crawley for the grant of a premises licence in respect of an event known as Taste of the Caribbean, to be held at Goffs Park, Horsham Road, Crawley, RH11 7JX.  A copy of the premises licence was attached as appendix A  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.