Clause 8 - Exercise and delegation of functions
Licensing Bill [Lords]
3:45 pm
Dr Kim Howells (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Pontypridd, Labour)
I am not for one minute arguing that we should prevent a councillor from making representations on behalf of residents who object to a licence application. I have made that clear time and again. We object to members of the council that sets up the licensing authority stepping in and objecting to an application, even though they would not be affected by it and not one objection has been made about it. Indeed, support for it may have been expressed. [Interruption.] I think that the hon. Member for Isle of Wight said from a sedentary position that he was not objecting to that. I am trying to clarify the distinction between a councillor who acts on behalf of someone and a councillor who takes it on himself or herself to object to a licence application.