PUBLIC Document Pack - Licensing Board - 28 October 2025
West Dunbartonshire Council · 28 October 2025
Back to Licensing Board — 28 October 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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West Dunbartonshire Licensing Board Alan Douglas, Clerk to the Licensing Board Council Offices, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton G82 1QL Telephone 01389 737800 Email: alan.douglas@west-dunbarton.gov.uk 14 October 2025 MEETING OF WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE LICENSING BOARD:- TUESDAY, 28 OCTOBER 2025 Notice is hereby given that a Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Licensing Board will be held at 10.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 28 October 2025. The Convener has directed that the meeting will be held as an in-person meeting only in the Council Chambers, Clydebank Town Hall, Clydebank G81 2NR. The business is shown on the attached agenda. I shall be obliged if you will advise committee.admin@west-dunbarton.gov.uk if you are unable to attend the meeting. Yours faithfully ALAN DOUGLAS Clerk to the Licensing Board Page 1
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Distribution:- Provost Karen Murray Conaghan Councillor Fiona Hennebry Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal Councillor John Millar (Chair) Councillor Lawrence O’Neill Councillor Chris Pollock Councillor Hazel Sorrell Councillor Sophie Traynor All other Councillors for information Chief Executive Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration Date Issued: 14 October 2025 Page 2
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LICENSING BOARD – TUESDAY, 28 OCTOBER 2025 AGENDA 1 APOLOGIES 2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Members are invited to declare if they have an interest in any of the items of business on this agenda and the reasons for such declarations. 3 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING 5 - 6 Submit for approval, as a correct record, the Minutes of meeting for Licensing Board held on 2 September 2025. 4 REVIEW OF PERSONAL LICENCE APPLICATION 7 - 12 Submit report by Clerk of the Licensing Board providing information regarding a Review of a Personal Licence for Mr Andrew Anderson. 5 FESTIVE HOURS POLICY 2025/2026 13 - 18 Submit report by Clerk of the Licensing Board proposing a policy to the Licensing Board on an extension to licensed hours during the festive period in terms of Section 67 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 (“the Act”). _______________________________________________________________ Page 3
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE LICENSING BOARD At a Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Licensing Board held in the Council Chambers, Clydebank Town Hall, Clydebank, on Tuesday, 2 September 2025 at 10.00 a.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Fiona Hennebry, Gurpreet Singh Johal, John Millar and Chris Pollock. Attending: Michael McDougall, Depute Clerk to the Licensing Board; Peter Clyde and Lawrence Knighton, Licensing Standards Officers; and Lynn Straker, Committee Officer. Also Attending: Sergeant David Holmes, Police Scotland; Mr Andrew Hunter, Solicitor for Sweeney’s Cruises; and Mr John Sweeney, Applicant for Sweeney’s Cruises. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Lawrence O’Neill, Hazel Sorrell and Sophie Traynor Councillor John Millar in the Chair DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST It was noted that there were no declarations of interest in any of the items of business on the agenda at this point in the meeting. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS The Minutes of the Licensing Board meeting held on Tuesday, 17 June 2025 were submitted and approved as a correct record. APPLICATION GRANT OF PREMISES LICENCE An Application for a Variation of Premises Licence for Passenger Vehicle “Avocet” Docked at Sweeney’s Boatyard, Riverside, Balloch G83 8SS was submitted. Members first heard from Mr Knighton, Licensing Standards Officer and then from Mr Hunter, Solicitor and Representative in support of the application and in agreement to the conditions set out by the Licensing Standards Officers in the report. Item 3 Page 5
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After discussion and having heard Mr Hunter in further explanation of the application and in answer to Members’ questions, Members agreed to grant the application subject to the conditions narrated in the Licensing Standards Officers report and also subject to the following: 1. the text “for a sightseeing tour or ferry service” is appended to condition two; 2. “Between the hours of 9.00am and 10.00am, alcohol will only be sold on the premises during a pre-booked private charter. The licence holder will notify the Council’s Licensing Standards Officer and Police Scotland’s Licensing Department in advance of such charters.” is added as a condition; and 3. “The boat is subject to a sailing limitation of 1 hour after sunset each day, so sailing hours will vary during the calendar year. The on-sale bar on the boat will close 10 mins prior to docking.” DECIDED:- Members agreed to grant the application subject to the two conditions narrated in the Licensing Standards Officers report and also subject to the following: 1. the text “for a sightseeing tour or ferry service” is appended to condition two; 2. “Between the hours of 9.00am and 10.00am, alcohol will only be sold on the premises during a pre-booked private charter. The licence holder will notify the Council’s Licensing Standards Officer and Police Scotland’s Licensing Department in advance of such charters.” is added as a condition; and 3. “The boat is subject to a sailing limitation of 1 hour after sunset each day, so sailing hours will vary during the calendar year. The on-sale bar on the boat will close 10 mins prior to docking.” WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE LICENSING REPORT The West Dunbartonshire Licensing Report for 2024-2025 was submitted by Chief Constable, Police Scotland. After discussion and having heard Sergeant David Holmes, Police Scotland, in further explanation of the report and in answer to Members’ questions, Members agreed to note the report. DECIDED:- Members agreed to note the report. The meeting closed at 10.20 a.m. Page 6
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REVIEW OF PERSONAL LICENCE Personal Licence Holder: ANDREW ANDERSON The following document relating to the Review of Personal Licence for the above named Personal Licence holder is included as an Appendix as detailed below:- List of Production (s): Appendix 1: Application for Consideration Appendix 2: Letter from Police Scotland requesting a Review of Personal Licence PLEASE NOTE THAT CONFIDENTIAL PAGES HAVE BEEN REMOVED Item 4 Page 7
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SCHEDULE 1 PERSONAL LICENCE The holder of this licence is qualified and permitted to sell alcohol under the terms of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. Licence Number WD/1493 Name and address of licence holder Andrew Anderson Name of issuing Licensing Board West Dunbartonshire Licensing Board Expiry date 09 June 2032 Note: All applicants are required to undertake Refresher Training within 5 years of the date the licence was issued and produce evidence to the Board no later than 3 months after that date, therefore your Refresher Training Evidence is due to be submitted by:- 11 September 2027 Page 9
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ANNEX A Training record Dates of Training Title of Course completed Awarding/Accrediting Body Level attained 27 April 2022 Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders Highfield Pass – Level 6 Page 10
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ANNEX B Convictions for relevant and foreign offences Personal licence number – WD/1493 Offence Court Date Penalty Page 11
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ANNEX C Endorsements Personal licence number – WD/1493 Reason for Endorsement Name of Licensing Board Date of commencement Expiry date Page 12
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE LICENSING BOARD Report by the Clerk to the Licensing Board 28 October 2025 Subject: Festive Hours Policy 2025/26 1. Purpose To propose a policy on an extension to licensed hours during the festive period in terms of Section 67 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 (“the Act”). 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended: (a) that the 2025/26 Festive Period is defined as being Monday 8 December 2025 to Friday 2 January 2026 inclusive; (b) that premises licence holders – with permission to utilise festive extensions - without significant entertainment (public houses, hotel bars and members’ clubs fall into this category) may trade for one hour more than the normal licensed hours during the festive period with the exception of Hogmanay; (c) that premises licence holders – with permission to utilise festive extensions - without significant entertainment (public houses, hotel bars and members’ clubs) may trade to 3 a.m. on Hogmanay on condition that last entry to the premises is 11 p.m. and the event is pre- ticketed; (d) that premises licence holders - with permission to utilise festive extensions - offering significant entertainment (nightclubs) may trade until 4 a.m. during the festive period; (e) premises licence holders without permission to utilise festive extensions may apply for extended hours certificates in relation to the festive period; (f) that authority for the granting of applications for extended hours certificates over the Festive Period be delegated to the Clerk to the Licensing Board, if the terms of the application are in accordance with the foregoing agreed recommendations; (g) that should applications for extended hours certificates be submitted which fall outwith the agreed hours or foregoing recommendations, then any such applications may require to be submitted to the Board for consideration, particularly where objections are forthcoming; and Item 5 Page 13
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(h) have regard to the request from the West Dunbartonshire Licensing Forum to consider allowing premises licence holders – with permission to utilise festive extensions - without significant entertainment (public houses, hotel bars and members’ clubs fall into this category) to trade for two hours more than the normal licensed hours during the festive period on days where their normal terminal hour is 12midnight (with the exception of Hogmanay). 3. Background 3.1 Section 67 of the Act allows a licensing board, where they consider it appropriate to do so in relation to a special event of local or national significance, to determine that licensed hours can be extended by a specified period. 3.2 The Licensing Board’s Statement of Policy at paragraph 33 notes that it may utilise section 67 of the 2005 Act so to grant a general extension to relevant premises’ licensed hours during the festive season. This means that these premises will not be required to submit an application for an extended hours certificate to utilise these hours. Premises falling outwith the scope of this general extension or wishing to have additional hours beyond the terms of the general extension will be able to submit an application for an extended hours certificate. 3.3 The Festive Hours Policy, as agreed by the Licensing Board, will be served on Police Scotland and will be circulated to licence holders. Licensing Standards Officers will highlight the Festive Hours Policy during routine visits to licensed premises and will circulate it through trade associations. 4. Main Issues 4.1 The proposed Festive Hours Policy is enclosed at Appendix 1. The Policy narrates that where a premises licence holder’s operating plan at Question 4 indicates that they will operate according to seasonal demand then the premises will be entitled to utilise the additional hours granted by the Licensing Board by way of a general extension subject to a notification requirement. 4.2 Where a premises licence holder’s operating plan at Question 4 does not indicate that they will operate according to seasonal demand then an application for an extended hours certificate will need to be submitted and granted for the premises to take advantage of the additional hours outlined in the Policy. 4.3 It is proposed that the authority for the granting of applications for extended hours certificates be delegated to the Clerk of the Licensing Board where the terms of the application mirror the Policy. Applicants seeking hours outwith the terms of the Policy and the Licensing Board’s Statement of Licensing Policy will likely to be required to be referred to a meeting of the Licensing Board. Page 14
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4.4 Given that the premises licence holder must notify the Licensing Section and Police Scotland before utilising these additional hours, Police Scotland will be aware of the premises’ intentions. 4.5 In keeping with the practice of previous years, the Festive Period is defined as being be from Monday 8 December 2025 to Friday 2 January 2026 inclusive. 5. People Implications 5.1 All extended hours applications shall be processed by Licensing Section staff on behalf of the Board without adverse impact on the service provided by the Board or Licensing Section. 5.2 A general extension will reduce the number of applications for extended hours certificates. 6. Financial Implications 6.1 The report may have a financial benefit to the licensed trade over the Festive Period. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 There is no increased risk to the Council associated with the contents of this report. 8. Equalities, Health & Human Rights Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 EIA 796: This Policy grants additional hours (usually only one hour) during the festive period. This has happened over a number of years. There have been no issues reported with the operation of this Policy. 9. Consultation 9.1 The proposals contained within this report have been previously discussed with Police Scotland. Police Scotland were content with the terms of the Policy subject to the condition that they are notified of which premises are taking up these hours. 9.2 The Festive Hours Policy was discussed at the West Dunbartonshire Licensing Forum meeting on 9 September 2025. The Licensing Forum at that meeting agreed to ask that the Licensing Board have regard to a submission from the Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Pubwatch (“the Pubwatch”) in relation to this Policy. The Pubwatch notes that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year falls on a Wednesday and Thursday respectively. This means that the terms of previous years Festive Hours Policies would allow licensing premises with permission to utilise festive extensions - without significant entertainment to trade - until 1am (such premises are largely licensed until 12midnight on these days) whereas on Boxing Day such premises will be able Page 15
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to open until 2am (such premises are largely licensed until 1am on these days). The Pubwatch asks that the Licensing Board considers amending its Festive Hours Policy to allow licensing premises with permission to utilise festive extensions - without significant entertainment - to trade until 2am on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It should be noted that if Members did not amend the Policy in this regard, it would still be open to such premises licence holders to apply for extended hours certificates. Alan Douglas Clerk to the Licensing Board 13 October 2025 Person to Contact: Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services, West Dunbartonshire Licensing Board, Council Offices, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton, G82 1QL Appendix: 1. Festive Hours Policy Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All Wards. Page 16
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE LICENSING BOARD Festive Hours Policy 2025/26 Background The West Dunbartonshire Licensing Board at its meeting of 28 October 2025 agreed the terms of its Festive Hours Policy in terms of section 67 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. The effect of this Policy is to grant premises additional hours where either:- 1. the premises’ Operating Plan at Question 4 indicates that they tend to operate according to seasonal demand; or 2. the premises successfully applies for an extended hours certificate. Requirements In order to utilise these additional hours premises must:- 1. make sure that their premises licence’s operating plan at Question 4 indicates that the premises intends to operate according to seasonal demand. If not, then an application for an extended hours certificates must be submitted and granted prior to the licensed premises using any additional hours; and 2. notify the Council’s Licensing Section and Police Scotland’s Licensing Department of those nights that the premises wishes to utilise the additional hours. Such notification must be made by 30 November 2024 (or where there are exceptional circumstances a later date as agreed with the Clerk to the Licensing Board). The email addresses are as follows:- • licensing@west-dunbarton.gov.uk • argylldunbartonshirelicensing@scotland.police.uk If these requirements are not met, then the premises cannot utilise the additional hours and must apply for an extended hours certificate. This application can be submitted via the Licensing Board’s webpage1. Period Monday, 8 December 2024 to Friday 2 January 2026 inclusive. Terms of Policy The effect of this Policy for premises where their operating plan at Question 4 indicates that they will trade according to seasonal demand, is as follows:- 1 https://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/business/licences-permits-and-permissions/alcohol-licences/licences- extended- hours/#:~:text=An%20extended%20hour%27s%20application%20is,for%20a%20one%2Doff%20event. Item 5 Appendix 1 Page 17
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i) That premises without significant entertainment (public houses, hotel bars and members’ clubs fall into this category) may trade for one hour more than their normal licensed hours during the festive period with the exception of Hogmanay. ii) That premises licence holders without significant entertainment (public houses, hotel bars and members’ clubs) may trade to 3 am on Hogmanay on condition that last entry to the premises is 11pm and the event is pre- ticketed. iii) That premises licence holders offering significant entertainment (Nightclubs) may trade until 4 am during the festive period. It should be noted that premises must notify the Licensing Section and Police. Premises licence holders without permission to utilise festive extensions may apply for extended hours certificates in relation to the festive period so to mirror the additional hours narrated above. Questions Please contact the Council’s Licensing Section at licensing@west-dunbarton.gov.uk. Page 18