Explanatory note

These Regulations make provision for the holding of hearings required to be held by licensing authorities under the Licensing Act 2003(c. 17) (“the Act”).

In particular, the Regulations provide for the timing of hearings and the notification requirements to parties to a hearing of the date, time and place of a hearing and information to accompany that notification (regulations 4, to 7 and Schedules 1, 2 and 3). In addition, provision is made for a party to a hearing to provide information to the licensing authority about attendance at a hearing, representations, the seeking of permission for another person to attend to assist the authority and whether the party believes a hearing to be necessary (regulation 8).

The Regulations provide for a range of procedural issues to govern the way in which preparations are made for a hearing, for the procedures to be followed, the rights of parties at a hearing, and various administrative matters, for example, the keeping of a record of the hearing and the manner of giving notices (regulations 9 to 33). The Regulations also make provision for the timing of the licensing authority’s determination following a hearing (Schedule 4).

Insofar as these Regulations do not make provision for procedures for and at hearings, section 9 of the Act provides that the authority can determine its own procedure.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment in relation to these Regulations has been placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament and copies may be obtained from the Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Branch of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 3rd Floor, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London SW1Y 5DH or viewed on the Department’s website, www.culture.gov.uk.