Lib Dems demand new licensing controls

3.22.18pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 3rd Apr 2006

Cambridge City Council is to review licensing policy in the City Centre.

Leader of Cambridge City Council, Ian Nimmo-Smith, has today called on the police to work with the Council to use new controls available under the Licensing Act 2003. He would like to establish a Cumulative Impact Policy covering certain parts of central Cambridge.

Coun Ian Nimmo-Smith commented:

"When the Council agreed its Statement of Licensing Policy in November 2004, the Police were asked if they would support declaring a Cumulative Impact Policy for the central area. However they declined.

"We are all aware of the pressures that the police experience every night as a result of the concentration of licensed premises in the city centre.

"The completion of new city centre developments, including Grand Arcade, may well bring forward requests for new licences for new premises. We should be in a position to assess these in the context of what is already happening on our streets, not just consider each application in isolation as we have to at the moment.

"This does not mean that no additional licences will be granted, but will allow us to consider the implications of adding new premises when looking at conditions of operation and hours of opening."