Section 43 – Premises licence application: ground for refusal
138.Section 43 amends section 22 of the 2005 Act with regard to objections and representations in relation to premises licences applications. Section 43 clarifies that an objection to or representation concerning a premises licence application may include any information that the person submitting the objection or representation considers relevant to consideration of any of the grounds for refusal, including information in relation to the applicant, a connected person in relation to the applicant, or any person who would be an interested party in relation to the premises if the application were to be granted.
139.Section 43 also amends section 23 of the 2005 Act in relation to the grounds of refusal for a premises licence application. Section 43 provides that it is a ground for refusal at a hearing when determining premises licence applications in section 23 of the 2005 Act, if the Licensing Board considers that, having regard to the licensing objectives, the applicant is not a fit and proper person to be the holder of a premises licence. An amendment is also made to section 23(8) so that, where the Licensing Board refuses a licence on the fit and proper person ground, the Board must state the licensing objective that the ground relates to.
140.Section 43 also amends section 23(6) of the 2005 Act in relation to determination of premises licence applications. Section 43 clarifies that any conviction notice supplied by the Chief Constable and any antisocial behaviour report by the chief constable supplied to the Board, is relevant to the specific consideration of the new fit and proper test as well as to consideration of the existing ground for refusal that the granting of the application would be inconsistent with one or more of the licensing objectives.
