Councils, when acting as a licensing authority, need to ensure that the decisions that they make are robust and according to law at all times. This applies equally to decisions made under delegated authority by Officers or those made by Members. Licensing law is both complex and varied, some of it being modern and some of it being antiquated and in need of reform. This course, which will be delivered from the legal standpoint for the most part, will cover the full spectrum from Scrap Metal to Zoos, Private Hire to Sex Establishments and Alcohol to Public Entertainment.
The course will deliver both legal and practical knowledge and skills in all aspects of licensing law and procedure illustrated by reference to and analysis of the leading cases. It will build upon the knowledge and skills gained on the Licensing Basic Survival Guide course taking some of the contents of that course to a more advanced and detailed level. It will also deliver further knowledge and skills from other aspects of licensing law and procedure.
There will be sections on constitutional arrangements, delegations, decision making powers, application processes, reports and recommendations, objections and representations, evidence, decision making processes, reasons for decisions, reviews and appeal processes, fees, Members’ interests, natural justice and human rights. There will be practical exercises based on actual cases which delegates will be expected to respond to. To achieve this aim, attendees will be expected to have read the core material and the case studies in advance of attending the course.
This course is suitable for existing legal advisors to both Licensing Departments and Committees, together with Democratic Services Officers who service Licensing Committees. It will also be of benefit to Licensing Officers who wish to enhance their practical knowledge against the legal background. A working knowledge of licensing law or procedure would be of benefit. This is a stand-alone course and delegates do not need to have attended the Licensing Basic Survival Guide course.
Stephen D. Turner, MStJ., MIoL, LLB
Stephen Turner is a solicitor with Kingston upon Hull City Council and specialises in regulatory prosecutions and licensing. He qualified in 1986 and was in private practice before moving into local government in 1994. Stephen has been solely responsible for advice to the Council and its Officers on all aspects of licensing law and procedure since 2004. He advises the Committee and Officers in connection with all applications, reviews, prosecutions, and appeals concerning licensing matters from taxis and private hire to sex shops, zoos and scrap metal dealers and is Legal Advisor to the Committee when in session. Stephen also deals with advocacy arising from decisions of the Committee by way of appeals or from the prosecution of offenders under all relevant legislation. Stephen is an experienced prosecutor for the regulatory departments of the Council dealing with all types of high-end cases from counterfeiting to food safety and fraud.
Stephen has presented lectures, workshops, and seminars to a variety of audiences including magistrates, solicitors, members of the Institute of Licensing, Council Members and Officers and others within his areas of interest and expertise.
Steve is a Past National Chair of Solicitors in Local Government (SLG now Lawyers in Local Government (LLG)), a former Chair and Branch Secretary of the Yorkshire and the Humber Branch of SLG/LLG, and the Litigation and Licensing Deputy National Lead (Licensing) for LLG. Steve is also the Vice Chairman of the Northeast Region of the Institute of Licensing (IoL) and an Independent Trainer, Lecturer, Mentor and Consultant. Steve chaired the IoL’s Working Party in 2018 which produced and published the Guidance on the relevance of previous convictions in Hackney and Private Hire Licencing.
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09:30 - 14:45
Online
