The Operational Manager – Shared Regulatory Services presented a report,  asking Council for approval the publication of a Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) to cover Bridgend Town Centre. This matter was reported to Cabinet for noting on 20 June 2023.

At its meeting on 18 December 2019 Council approved the publication of a Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) for Bridgend town centre to inform decision making within the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy.  The CIA expired in December 2022.

The effect of publishing a CIA is significant and it makes it clear to prospective applicants, that the licensing authority is of the opinion that the number of venues in a specified area is such that it is likely that granting further licences would be inconsistent with the authority’s duty to promote the licensing objectives. 

A copy of the CIA for 2019 to 2022 was attached at Appendix A to the report.  A review commenced in 2022 and South Wales Police has requested that the CIA remain in its current form, details of which are attached at Appendix B.  Premises names had been removed from this Appendix.

A review commenced following a request from South Wales Police.  It included a statutory consultation as required by Section 5 of the Licensing Act 2003 and a public consultation.  The consultation took place between 14 December 2022 and 8 March 2023.  The purpose of the consultation was to gather evidence on the problems being experienced to inform the adoption of a CIA for the next three-year period.  Given that a CIA has the potential to prevent any new licensed premises in an area, the Council must set out the evidential basis for adopting such a policy.  It must be satisfied that the number of licensed premises in Bridgend Town Centre has reached such a critical point that granting further licences would be inconsistent with the authority’s duty to promote the licensing objectives.  

The CIA currently applies to the following Bridgend town centre streets

•           Market Street;

•           Derwen Road;

•           Wyndham Street;

•           Nolton Street (from its junction with Ewenny Road, to its junction with Merthyr Mawr Road, but not the area between Merthyr Mawr Road and the junction with Court Road Bridgend).

The South Wales had determined that there had been an increase of 34% of crime and disorder during the night time economy period in Bridgend town centre.

The format of a CIA is that it should be evidential, setting out the statistics and evidence of problems obtained through local consultation.   A draft CIA was attached at Appendix C to the report.  This included the South Wales Police data comprising recorded crime in the area, and occurrences within the area.

A Member asked how the Licensing Authority ensured that premises licence holders adhered to their conditions of licence.

The Operational Manager – Shared Regulatory Services, confirmed that this was monitored through inspection by the Council’s Enforcement Officers in conjunction with the South Wales Police Enforcement team.

A Member asked in terms of Door Control staff at licensed premises, if they still had radio contact with each other through portable hand radios in order to assist each other if anti-social behaviour took place at such premises.

The Operational Manager – Shared Regulatory Services confirmed that he would check this point and come back to the Member with a response outside of the meeting.

A Member felt that it would benefit town centres if Public Orders could be brought back into operation to prevent the consumption of alcohol in streets.

The Cabinet Member – Housing, Planning and Regeneration advised that this type of Order was very difficult to enforce, hence why they were no longer in being.

A Member felt that whilst it was beneficial to look at the night time economy situation in town centres, the day time economy should also be looked at in order to boost inward investment.

A Member added that the regulatory services also needed to look at drunken behaviour in the day time in Bridgend town centre, as this activity did not always just occur in the evenings/early hours of the next day.

The Leader concluded debate, by confirming that he would address some of the above points particularly those that related to anti-social behaviour with the Police as part of the joint working Safer Streets Initiative. 

RESOLVED:                          That Council approved the publication of a CIA for Bridgend Town Centre to run from 21 June 2023 to the expiry of the current Statement of Licensing Policy in December 2024.  The CIA to have effect in the following streets:

                                                Market Street;

                                                Derwen Road;

 Wyndham Street;                                                 Nolton Street (from its junction with Ewenny     Road, to its junction with Merthyr Mawr Road, but not the area between Merthyr Mawr Road and the junction with Court Road Bridgend).