Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to a report which updated the Committee on the recent review of the Councils Gambling Policy and sought their views on the suggested amendments required prior to Council approval.

The Committee was informed that the current policy was adopted in January 2019 and had to be reviewed every 3 years by law. The policy at Appendix 1 proposed amendments since it had last been approved. It was noted that the ten Greater Manchester Authorities had worked collaboratively to develop a common policy framework with local issues and profiling added in addition to the common policy text.

The Committee was informed that, in setting its local policy, the Council must show how it would seek to promote the licensing objectives under the Act, which were:

·         Preventing gambling from being a source of crime and disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime;

·         Ensuring gambling was conducted in a fair and open way; and

·         Protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

The updated policy paid significant attention to the Public Health concerns which surrounded gambling addictions in the policy. It was noted that within Oldham, data suggested that there were around 3,000 problem gamblers and 9,000 at risk gamblers. To combat this, a Greater Manchester Gambling Harm Reduction Strategy had been compiled with funding allocated to support pathways and research. Members made note of a new part of the policy which requested operators to submit a return to the Licensing Authority in order to measure the number of interventions they were taking to assist customers and self-exclude those who require that option.

Members noted that the proposed policer would be considered by the Licensing Committee on the 30^th November prior to moving forward for approval by Council on the 15^th December 2021.

Members asked for and received clarification on the following:

·         Could a ban request of the premises be requested on behalf of another person if the user had mental health problems. Members were advised that consent was needed from the person however some operators would accept ban referrals from family members.

·         Power to prevent gambling premises from opening and reviewing applications. It was noted that language in the guidance encouraged granting of the licences. Within Oldham, the number of licensed premises had reduced from 37 pre-covid to 23. Applications for these licences were rarely submitted. As with Alcohol premises licences, any breach of the licence would be investigated and reviewed by the Licensing Panel.

·         How the number of problem gamblers was estimated within the Brough. Members were advised that the data was based on referrals within Greater Manchester. Oldham was currently ranked in the middle of the Greater Manchester Authorities.

RESOLVED that the draft Gambling Policy be noted and commended to the Council for approval.