Section 60 – Personal licences: grant, duration and renewal
197.This provision amends section 74 of the 2005 Act regarding the determination of a personal licence application. Section 74(3) provides conditions which must be met before an application can be granted. This provision amends section 74(3)(c) which currently states a personal licence cannot be granted if one has been revoked in the last five years. This provision amends section 74(3)(c) to provide that the provision is not applicable to persons who have had a personal licence revoked under section 87(3) of the 2005 Act. Accordingly, if a personal licence is revoked under section 87(3) the person will no longer have to wait for five years to elapse before applying for a new personal licence.
198.This provision also amends section 77(8) of the 2005 Act to increase the length of time prior to the expiry date of a personal licence that the relevant Licensing Board must give notice to the licence holder that the licence will cease to have effect on the expiry date unless renewed. The period of time is increased to nine months before the expiry date of a personal licence.
199.The provision amends section 78 of the 2005 Act to increase the length of the time period in which a personal licence holder may apply to the relevant Licensing Board for renewal of the licence, as well as to increase the length of the period provided for the Licensing Board’s consideration of this application. The period of time to submit an application under section 78(1) is now within the nine months period beginning 12 months before the expiry date of the licence.
200.The provision also amends Section 78(5) of the 2005 Act to remove the requirement that an applicant for renewal of a personal licence must not already hold a personal licence.
201.Finally section 84A of the 2005 Act is amended to provide that if a Chief Constable reports conduct inconsistent with the licensing objectives to the relevant Licensing Board, the whole of section 84(8) now applies in relation to an order made under subsection (2) of this section as opposed to only section 84(8)(a). This means that the Board making the order must now notify the order to the licence holder, the Board who gave the original notice and the Board who issued the licence, if these are different Boards.
