Parts of licensing reform 'years away'

Major plans to shake-up licensing won't be enacted until 2012 at the earliest.

This relates to plans for a new licensing objective of protecting public health, and ending the requirement of councils to re-draft licensing policies every three years.

However, other proposals such as the late-night levy and the ban on below-cost sales are not subject to this timetable.

The news came in a message from Local Government Regulation, the coordinating body for councils, to its members, flagged up on the Institute of Licensing's website.

It says Local Government Regulation has "raised concerns" with the Home Office about whether proposed changes to the Licensing Act would impact on councils' requirement to review their licensing policies every three years.

Currently, local authorities must have their revised policies in place by 7 January 2011. But due to the Government's plan to scrap the need to update the policies, it was unclear whether this requirement would stand.

The statement from Local Government Regulation says: "The Home Office have confirmed that although the majority of the proposals in the Home Office consultation will be introduced via the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill - due to be introduced into Parliament in October - any changes to the Licensing Act 2003 will not be brought into force until 2012 at the earliest."

A Home Office document released in July said the planned overhaul of licensing, via the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill - containing other measures including the late-night levy - wouldn't be implemented until November 2011.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said: "The Home Office is currently consulting on tough measures to crack down on problem premises and give more powers for local communities with a view to overhauling the Licensing Act.

"The timing of implementation will depend on the consultation responses and the subsequent parliamentary process."