|
The proposed fees for licences, certificates and notices under
the new Licensing Act have been published for consultation and
everyone is invited to take part, Licensing Minister Richard
Caborn, announced today.
They include:
- £80 - £500 one-off payment for a licence
under the new system;
- £40 - £225 annual fee;
- £37 for a personal licence; and
- £21 for a temporary event notice.
The fees will recover all the licensing
authorities' costs of administrating, inspecting and enforcing
the new regime. They will not cover health and safety and
environmental health functions, which are unrelated to
licensing and which are funded separately. The income from the
fees may not be used to finance other local authority activity
relating to the night time economy generally.
Venues which serve alcohol and choose to put
on live music will not have to pay anything on top of the basic
licence fee. Under the current system, for example, licencees
pay £30 every three years to magistrates for a basic licence to
serve alcohol until 11pm. If they want to put on live bands
they must obtain a separate licence for an additional cost.
Similarly a bar, pub or restaurant that wishes to serve alcohol
after 11pm must pay extra.
For the first time fees will be set
centrally, removing the inconsistencies that currently exist.
This will create a fair and level playing field across all
licensed premises in England and Wales.
Licensing Minister, Richard Caborn, said:
"This is the first major overhaul of
licensing in 40 years and it's long overdue. For years alcohol
licence fees have not been reflecting the true costs and
taxpayers have effectively been subsidising the licensed trade.
This will not be the case under the new system.
"We estimate this new system will free up
around £80 million over the first three years of full
operation, for local authorities and the police to spend on
better intelligence-lead enforcement to target rogue premises -
benefiting the whole community.
"The new licensing regime will be easier and
more efficient as six licences will become one. All decisions
will be taken by licensing authorities who are democratically
accountable.
"Once the new system has bedded in there
will be an independent review and we will adjust the fees if
necessary."
Once the seven-week consultation is
completed, the Government will carefully consider the
responses, and make any necessary amendments to the draft
regulations and order.
|
Home
