COMMENTARY ON SECTIONS General Section 5 - Statement of licensing policy
38.This section requires each licensing authority to determine and publish a statement of its licensing policy every three years. The first three-year period will begin with a day appointed by the Secretary of State. Subsection (3) lists those whom the licensing authority must consult in preparing its licensing policy; these include the police, the local fire authority, people who represent holders of premises and personal licences and club premises certificates, and people representative of local businesses and residents. Schedule 8 makes transitional provision requiring holders of those representing licensees under the existing licensing regimes to be consulted until the new regime is in force. Subsection (4) imposes a duty on an authority to keep its licensing policy under review. Any revisions to it, following consultation with those listed in subsection (3), must be published. Subsection (7) provides that the Secretary of State may make regulations relating to the formation of licensing policy and the publication of licensing statements.