Monday, March 25, 2013
Tower Hamlet The Council Strikes Back
Sometimes you just sit there and wonder what the **** is going on. I was reading the web for Sexual Entertainment Venues and our old friends at Tower Hamlets re-appeared. I was like WTAF we went through this sometime back why are we having another consultation?
Actually we are not, it seems that the council wants to use the amended schedule 3 from the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. They want to use the version affected by Policing and Crime Act 2009. Now having dug through all the mess within the act I have found one clause that has me a little bit worried (para 12(3)(c)) "that the number of sex establishments, or of sex establishments of a particular kind, in the relevant locality at the time the application is determined is equal to or exceeds the number which the authority consider is appropriate for that locality;”.
That has been playing on my mind a bit. I was speaking to Chasmal last night and hadn't found this so we were assuming that the previous consultation went against the council and this gives them a chance of closing venues. Of course with the situation in Leicester and the current ongoing situation in Oxford the council stands little chance of winning but is does seem like the council wants to be in a train wreck.
Why do I think the previous consultation went against the council? Well if it had of been what they wanted they would have been dancing for joy as they tried to close the tower hamlets 11 (or is that 7?). So as the clubs are still open and operating under licenses this new measure may be paving the way for the council to try and close the clubs. I find it interesting nothing had been announced and wonder why the council would want a tiny response? Guessing after the last debacle they are trying desperately to avoid another slap in the face. Noticeable that this time residents are being asked to provide their full post code. Obviously it is every possible step they can think of to pass this act in the council without a challenge.
So if you have a Tower Hamlets post code and you want to complete the survey the information is linked from hHERE
And if Tower Hamlets councillors get to read this having had a consultation which has been hidden for over a year is this the right thing to do? Or is it the act of someone trying to ruin the borough?
TonyN heading back to bed on a miserable Monday morning
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Yes, whatever happened to the results of the LAST consultation?
ReplyDeleteBuried would be my guess. Looking at that section 12 piece it is one of the reasons a license can be refused. And the fact it says what the council believe to be the correct number rather than what the public believe seems to me to be a reason to worry.
DeleteIt looks like TH is trying to sneak the policy in, it's had very little publicity compared to the previous one which closed in October 2011. I have sent details to Private Eye Rottern Boroughs which is always running things on TH. If they do try a nil or reduced limit I'm pretty sure well funded places like Secrets and Metropolis would appeal, there is also the question of the White Swan's gay strip nights. I seem to remember that when running for Mayor Livingstone's camp telling the Gay press that an exemption would be made but I don't think it ever happened. If they do make and exemption not only would it be difficult to defend in court when closing girlie bars , it would also go down like a lead ballon amongst the religious loonies that dominate the anti strip group. On the other hand if they don't make an exemption they face the roth of the Gay lobby.
ReplyDeleteI am sure the clubs have been watching TH with Eagle Eyes. Yes this is probably an attempt to sneak something through. We shouldn't be surprised that the council want to be careful after having to refer the last consultation to forensics consultation.
DeleteInterestingly I e mailed the White Swan about this consultation and they knew nothing about it. Secrets is on my gossip circulation list but I wonder if places like the Nags know ?
DeleteTyke
I have mailed Majingos, Whites and Metropolis. Metro knew, haven't heard from the others. Chasmal is friends with the Nags so assuming they have been told.
DeleteTonyN
If I were the owner of a striptease venue in Tower Hamlets, I'd be consulting my solicitors about the legal implications of this new consultation.
DeleteAs the consultation doesn't actually quote a figure for the limit on the number of venues in the borough, or for any given location within it, it begs the question: why is a new consultation being carried out at all? Other local authorities have introduced SEV licensing without feeling any need to consult the public about it - after all, it's principally an operational matter, affecting only the council and the venues directly - so why has an online survey been deemed necessary, when the issue of a limit on the number isn't part of the exercise?
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ReplyDeleteIt's the muslims. Rania Khan started this fascism coz it's part of sharia law and islamicising Britain. Strip Clubs have to fight back against these foreign colonizers implementing religious fascism upon legitimate British businesses.
ReplyDelete