Licensing policies in consultation

Public consultation on Revised Statement of Licensing Policy

The Isle of Wight Council invited local people and businesses to comment on its draft licensing policy – the document that describes how the council will continue to exercise its powers under the Licensing Act 2003.

The policy gives clear guidance of the authority's policies and expectations to licence holders, applicants, and people who may comment on licence applications or seek reviews of licences.

Legally, the council is obliged to consider the Statement of Licensing Policy when deciding opposed licence applications or applications for review. If any of our decisions are appealed to a magistrates' court, the court must also consider the policy when deciding whether the original decision was correct.

The draft proposed policy largely mirrors the existing policy which has generally worked well in promoting the licensing objectives across the Island.

The consultation opened on Tuesday 5 September 2023

The consultation closed on Tuesday 17 October 2023