Spiking: South East Local Authorities (responsible for licensing premises)

Acknowledgement

 

Thank you for your recent email which we are handling in accordance with
the Freedom of Information Act 2000/Environmental Information Regulations
2004.  I acknowledge receipt and confirm that we will respond within 20
working days from the date of receipt.

 

If you have any further queries regarding our Freedom of Information/
Environmental Information Regulations procedures please contact the team
by emailing [1][Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email]

 

This is an automated response.

 

Yours sincerely

 

FOI Team

 

 

T: 01892 550772

E: [2][Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email]

01892 550772

Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1RS

[3]www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk         

 

This e-mail is confidential and intended solely for the use of the
individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions presented are
solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. If you are not the intended recipient, be
advised that you have received this e-mail in error and that any use,
dissemination, forwarding, printing or copying of this e-mail is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on telephone +44 (0)1892 526121 or e-mail
to [email address].

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email]
2. mailto:[Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email]
3. http://www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/

Dear Will Hecker

 

Re: FOI F11788

 

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request.

Please find below the response to your recent request. The information has
been provided by our Licensing Team.

 

Response:

 

Q1) Do you explicitly reference spiking prevention in your statement of
licensing policy? Not currently

 

Q2) Have you run a communications campaign to clearly demonstrate that
your council takes a zero-tolerance approach to spiking.  We haven’t run a
specific communications campaign, however, see link
 [1]https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/lg...
 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is mentioned in best practice guidance
and in response to hearing/suspension, see comment from the then chair of
the Licensing Committee below:

 

In response to this incident, the chair of the licensing sub-committee
issued a statement to reassure residents and reiterate the council’s zero
tolerance approach to spiking. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council continues
to work closely with partners to promote safety and good practice in the
night-time economy.

 

 

Q3) Which of the following partnership schemes are training packages are
referenced in your statement of licensing policy?

 

Pubwatch – Link to National Pub Watch [2]www.nationalpubwatch.org.uk  &
Tunbridge Wells Nighttime Co-ordinator [3][email address]·  
          

 

Best Bar None  Not currently

Purple Flag  Not currently

Community Alcohol Partnerships Not currently

Street Pastors Not currently

The Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) initiative Not currently

‘Ask for Angela’ Not currently

 

Q4) Has your licensing authority followed the recommendation of the Home
Affairs Select Committee to consider the prevalence, prevention and
reporting of sexual harassment and misconduct and gender-based violence in
statements of licensing policy.  Not currently

 

Q5) For the previous 5 calendar years please provide the number of venues
which have had their licence suspended, revoked, or/and had conditions
added to the licence, as a result of spiking incidents within the venue.
Please could you provide this data broken down by year.

 

a) 2018 0

b) 2019 0

c) 2020 0

d) 2021 1

e) 2022 0

f) 2023 (including latest available data) 0

 

Q6) How many incidents of alleged spiking have been recorded by the
licensing authority in the past five years. Please break down by year

a) 2018 0

b) 2019 0

c) 2020 0

d) 2021 1

e) 2022 0

f) 2023 (including latest available data) 0

 

Q7) Please provide details of the (1) three most recent cases where a
venue has had its licence suspended, revoked or/and had conditions added,
as a result of spiking incidents – see links below…

 

[4]https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tunbridge-w...

 

[5]https://democracy.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/...

 

 

I hope this information is helpful and if there is anything further, I can
help with please contact me via email to [6][Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email] 

If you are dissatisfied with the information provided or the way in which
we have dealt with your request, you can request a review.   Please write
to Mid-Kent Legal Services, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1
1RS or via e-mail to [7][email address] requesting a review of
the decision.

 

We will aim to deal with your request within 20 working days. If you
remain dissatisfied following our review, you can then appeal to the
Information Commissioner.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

FOI Team

 

T: 01892 554077

E: [8][Tunbridge Wells Borough Council request email]

 

Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1RS

[9]www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk

 

 

 

 

show quoted sections