Share

Council backs major reduction in public entertainment licence fee

Aberdeen’s Licensing Committee today approved plans to offer a 75% reduction in the cost of public entertainment licence fees to community, charity, voluntary and religious groups in the city.

The Committee unanimously agreed to the reduction ahead of legislative changes to public entertainment licensing brought about by the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010, which will come into force on April 1, 2012.

Prior to the law change a licence was required when anyone intended to have entertainment, such as a dance, concert, variety show or other entertainment to which members of the public are to be admitted and where some payment for admission is to be paid.

But under the new powers free events, which were formerly exempt, now require a public entertainment licence and the associated cost of granting, renewing or issuing a temporary licence.

The Committee agreed a set of criteria today meaning eligible groups will only have to pay 25% of the 2012/13 fees.

Licensing Committee Convener Councillor Kirsty West said: “The public entertainment licence is designed to preserve public order, safety and prevent crime.

“However, members never wanted that to come at the cost of the many valuable and loved events that occur on a one-off basis, which are so vital to community, charity, voluntary and religious groups in the city.

“I am delighted the Committee has backed the reduction for the specified groups and hope this helps to ensure these events can continue across the city.”

The Committee’s current resolution requires public entertainment licences for the following: bonfires; bowling alleys; bungee jumping; church halls (a public entertainment licence shall not be required for a church hall belonging to or occupied by any religious body while being used wholly or mainly for purposes connected with that body); circuses; community centres; concert halls; dance halls; discotheques; dry ski centres; fairgrounds; fetes with tented accommodation; firework displays; halls used for voluntary organisations; ice rinks; motorbike stunt shows; premises for pop concerts; premises for live band performances; premises for variety shows; premises for musical shows; premises for raves; premises for musical festivals; premises for paint ball games; premises for laser display; premises for laser games; premises for health and fitness including gyms; public halls; roller skating rinks; schools and other educational establishments (or parts thereof within which the number of members of the public admitted to or taking part in any single event or activity at any one time exceeds 60); skateboarding; sports centres; swimming pools; and vehicle stunt shows.

The Committee agreed the definition of groups qualifying for the reduction will be the same as set out in The Gambling Act 2005 (the 2005 Act) which uses the test of whether an organisation is non-commercial.

An organisation is defined in that Act as non-commercial if it is established and conducted for: charitable purposes; for the purposes of enabling participation in, or supporting of sport, athletics or a cultural activity; and any other non-commercial purpose other than that of private gain.

The committee agreed unanimously to the 75% reduction for community, charity, voluntary and religious groups, which arose following a motion from Independent Councillor Marie Boulton.

The fees for Public Entertainment Licences for 2012/13 are not yet known and will be decided by the Licensing Committee ahead of their implementation on 1 April, 2012. At present granting a public entertainment licence costs £695, renewing a licence costs £530 and the charge for issuing a temporary one is £324.

92 views