Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive apologies for absence from those Members who are unable to attend the meeting.

All Panel Members were in attendance.

Toapprovethe Minutesofthemeetingof the Panelheld on the 4^th June 2025.

RESOLVED:

The minutes of the meeting held on 4^th June 2025 were agreed as a correct record.

RESOLVED -

That the minutes of the meeting held on 4^th June 2025 be approved as a correct record.

Members will be asked to say if there are any items on the Agenda in which they have any disclosable pecuniary interests or any other interests, which may prevent them from participating in any discussion of the items or participating in any vote upon the items.

No interests were declared.

Most agenda items take place in public. This only changes where there is a need to consider exempt information, as contained at Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. You will be informed at this point which items are to be recommended for exclusion and to be resolved by the Panel.

All agenda items were held in public session.

The Panel will receive any petitions and/or deputations from members of the public. A deputation is where up to five people can attend the meeting and make a presentation on some particular issue of concern. A member of the public can also submit a petition at the meeting relating to a matter on which the body has powers and responsibilities.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, Members of the Public must submit a deputation in writing, at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting and shall subsequently be notified if the deputation shall be heard. A maximum of four deputations shall be heard at any one meeting.

No deputations or petitions were received.

To receive any public questions.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11, the period for the asking and answering of public questions shall not exceed 15 minutes.

Any questions must be submitted in writing at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

No public questions were asked.

To consider the application at 2:00pm.

Contact: Rox Javaid, Licensing Officer, Tel: 01484 221 000

RESOLVED:

That the Premises License for Hao Lai Karaoke Bar, 33-35 Kirkgate, Huddersfield, HD1 1QT, be revoked.

The Panel considered a report which outlined an application for the review of a Premises Licence for Hao Lai Karaoke Bar, 33-35 Kirkgate, Huddersfield, HD1 1QT.

The Licensing Officer advised the Panel that on 12^th May 2025, West Yorkshire Police submitted an application for the review of the premises licence for Hao Lai Karaoke Bar under section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The applicant believed that the licensing objectives in respect of Prevention of Crime and Disorder and Public Safety were not being met.

The Panel were informed that on 25^th April 2025 a joint operation was carried out which included officers from West Yorkshire Police, Licensing Officers from Kirklees Council and Immigration Officers from the Home Office. The purpose of the operation was to visit certain premises across Huddersfield to investigate the employment of illegal workers.

Immigration workers discovered illegal workers at the premises and carried out arrests. West Yorkshire Police believed the premises licence holder may have breached employment/criminal law by allowing illegal workers to operate from licensed premises, and suspected that sexual services may have been offered to clients in the massage rooms that were found in the basement and on the ground floor.

Further breaches of the licence conditions were found, including: a lack of CCTV recordings, a failure to maintain refusal logs, no incident log available for inspection and no evidence of training logs.

The Licensing Officer further advised that the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) had resigned his voluntary post as of 1^st June 2025 and the Premises License Holder had been informed that they would need to stop selling alcohol while a DPS was not in place.

A letter had been received from the Premises Licence Holder stating that they had stopped selling alcohol, however the premises license had not been surrendered, and alcohol sales were still part of the active licence.

Richard Woodhead, West Yorkshire Police advised the Panel that Police and Council Officers had visited the premises on several occasions since review proceedings had begun, and the bar had been closed.

A representative for the Premises Licence Holder read a statement advising the Panel that there were no illegal workers, but family members, who spoke no English and had been confused by the questioning from West Yorkshire Police and the Immigration Officer. The statement also confirmed that Mrs Li did not employ illegal workers or sell alcoholic drinks.

Mrs Li’s representative also informed the Panel that as soon as Mrs Li had been made aware of the illicit sexual activity taking place, Mrs Li had taken action to stop this, and that Police Officers had visited the premises on several occasions, along with immigration officers visiting their home address.

During consideration of all the information presented both verbally and in writing, the Panel felt it necessary to ask further questions regarding the licensing objectives in respect to the CCTV and refusal book and asked all parties to rejoin the meeting.

The Chair requested further detail from the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

To consider the application at 3:00pm.

Contact: Lee Rushworth, Licensing Officer, Tel: 01484 221 000

RESOLVED:

That the Premises License for Ravensthorpe Off Licence, 618 Huddersfield Road, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, WF13 3HL, be revoked.

The Panel considered a report which outlined an application for a review under S51 of the Licensing Act 2003, in respect of premises license Ravensthorpe Off Licence, 618 Huddersfield Road, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, WF13 3HL.

The Licensing Officer advised the Panel that the application for review had been received on 13^th May from West Yorkshire Police, as they believed the following licensing objectives were not being met: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the protection of children from harm.

The Premises Licence Holder had provided a statement which was read out by the Licensing Officer. The statement advised the Panel that the named License Premises Holder had sold the shop two years previously and was unaware that his name was still being used by the current owner as he had been told that it had been transferred into the new owner’s name. He wished to cancel and surrender the license.

The Panel were advised by PC Kathryn Swift, West Yorkshire Police, that during a test purchase operation by West Yorkshire Police on 4^th March 2025 at Ravensthorpe Off Licence, a police officer was able to buy an illegal packet of cigarettes, The packet of cigarettes did not conform to the tobacco and related products regulations 2016, and were stored under the counter.

On 22^nd April 2025 West Yorkshire Police and Trading Standards attended and searched the premises for illegal tobacco. Illegal cigarettes were found hidden behind the counter and 115 disposable electronic cigarettes were on display for sale which had a tank capacity larger than the maximum permitted of 2ml nicotine, making them illegal. Under the counter were two packets of open cigarettes which it was believed were being sold as single cigarettes. A female working at the store advised that she was being paid £40 cash in hand, and had received no training and was unsure of the legal age for buying vapes. She said she did not know about the illegal cigarettes, did not know who the Designated Premises Supervisor was and also did not know the owner. The shop worker was able to provide the first name of someone to contact, and two telephone numbers to contact them on. The Police Officer followed up the numbers, one which was not recognised and one which was linked to a male in Coventry who did not have the right to work.

West Yorkshire Police advised the Panel on government guidance regarding what was deemed a serious offence included the sale and storage of smuggled tobacco.

In reaching its decision, the Panel had due regard to the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003, the statutory guidance issued under section 182 of the Act, the Councils Statement of Licensing Policy and the relevant provisions of the Human Rights Act.

RESOLVED -

That the Premises License for Ravensthorpe Off Licence, 618 Huddersfield Road, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, WF13 3HL, be revoked.