Request review of Gambling Premises Licence

  1. Before making an application for the review of a Gambling Premises Licence, please read the guidance notes.
  2. Download and complete the application form for the review of a Gambling Premises Licence.
  3. Submit your application to: Licensing, Gravesham Borough Council, Civic Centre, Windmill Street, Gravesend, Kent DA12 1AU
  4. Within seven days of sending your application to us, you will need to provide a notice of  your application for a review to the Gambling Premises Licence holder, and also the responsible authorities.

What happens after a request for a review has been made?

Within 10 working days of receiving the application, we will publish a notice about the application for review. This will be on our website, local newspaper, newsletter or similar document.

On the day we receive the application, we will display a notice at the premises, that is subject to review. This will be for a period of no less than 28 consecutive days.

Interested parties, responsible authorities, and the Gambling Premises Licence holder, then have this period of 28 consecutive days to make representations about the review.

If we accept the request for review

We must hold a hearing to consider the application, unless all parties agree that this is unnecessary. For example, we may offer to try to resolve matters via a negotiated agreement outside a formal hearing. You will need to decide if this is appropriate for you, but you can, of course, insist upon the hearing.

We will write to you with the date and time of the hearing and will inform you of the procedure to be followed at the hearing.

As the person or body requesting the review, you are required to give notice to us at least five working days before the start of the hearing, stating:

  • Whether you will attend the hearing in person
  • Whether you will be represented by someone else (for example, councillor / MP / lawyer)
  • Whether you think that a hearing is unnecessary (if, for example, you have come to an agreement before the formal hearing)
  • Any request for another person to attend the hearing, including how they may be able to assist the authority in relation to the application

You must let us know as soon as possible (by written notice no later than 24 hours before the start of a hearing, or orally at the hearing) if you want to withdraw your application.

Hearings

Hearings will generally be held in public, unless we decide it is in the public interest to hold all, or part of the hearing in private. We shall ensure that a record is taken of the hearing.

Hearings will normally take the form of a discussion and will be led by us, which will consist of three elected councillors (the Licensing Panel). The panel will determine any request for additional persons to appear at the hearing. It will consider evidence produced in support before the hearing and can consider evidence produced by a party at the hearing, but only if all parties agree. Further evidence can also be produced if this was sought for clarification of an issue by us before the hearing.

Cross-examination of another party during a hearing is not allowed, unless we think it's necessary. The parties are entitled to address the panel and will be allowed equal time to address the panel and, if they have been given permission by the panel to do so, they will be given equal time to ask any questions of any other party. The panel will disregard any information it considers to be irrelevant.

It is important that you consider what you are going to say at the hearing, as the licence or certificate holder and the committee will have seen your application for review, and may get the chance to question what you are saying.

A hearing can still go ahead in the absence of any party (for example, applicant or interested party)

What happens after a hearing?

If no decision is made at the hearing, the panel has a maximum of five days from the day or the last day of the hearing to come to a decision. Following a review, we may:

  • Decide that no action is necessary to promote the licensing objectives
  • Modify or add conditions to the licence
  • Exclude a licensable activity from the licence
  • Suspend the licence for a period (not exceeding three months)
  • Revoke the licence

Both the licensee and the objectors can appeal to Magistrates' Court against a decision made by the Licensing Panel within 21 days of us making a decision.

If you have any queries about applying for a review, contact the licensing team by emailing licensing@gravesham.gov.uk or phoning 01474 337252.