- Summary
-
Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) is responsible for licensing and registering a range of functions within its district in the interests of public safety and protection. This policy sets out how we as the Licensing Authority achieve compliance and enforcement.
We define compliance as how licence holders meet the standards required of them and define enforcement as meaning taking action in relation to unlicensed activities.
These functions include:
(a) hackney carriage and private hire drivers and vehicles and private hire operators;
(b) alcohol, entertainment and late night refreshment;
(c) charity collections;
(d) sex establishments;
(e) gambling premises, permits and lottery registrations;
(f) scrap metal dealers and collectors.This Licensing Compliance and Enforcement Policy seeks to cover all relevant licensing functions and all related topics.
Sevenoaks District Council as the Licensing Authority put into effect and ensures compliance with a range of legislation in the public interest. Furthermore, the Council has a duty to uphold and achieve compliance relating to the policies adopted by the Licensing Authority and conditions and requirements that may be implemented on licence holders or those that engage in licensable activities for the benefit of public safety. The Licensing Authority supports the corporate vision that the district should remain a prosperous, safe and healthy place where people want and are able to live and work, and whereby culture, tourism, employment and self sufficiency of local communities is encouraged.
Compliance and enforcement is important to maintain integrity and confidence in the various licensing regimes, and to prevent anyone obtaining an unfair advantage through unlicensed activities.
The Licensing Authority seeks to uphold the legislation and prevent offences occurring under the various Acts. The seriousness of these offences is reflected in the maximum penalty on conviction in the Magistrates' Court which for some offences may result in imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.
In developing this policy, the Licensing Authority has had regard to the Human Rights Act 1998, the statutory Regulators’ Code issued under the Regulatory and Effective Sanctions Act 2008, the Code for Crown Prosecutors and the Equalities Act 2010.