Councillors agreed to keep the licence for a community centre following noise complaints of “bass-heavy music”.
A North Lincolnshire Council licensing sub-committee had previously heard from the council’s environmental protection team, who asked for licence conditions to change for CrosbyOne in Digby Street, Scunthorpe. Licensing officers were present and asked for most existing conditions to be removed to support the community centre.
The chair of Crosby Together also attended and apologised for the noise issues that had occurred. The councillors “gave great consideration” to the clear proactive and constructive work of CrosbyOne to address environmental protection’s concerns.
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The licence review came about after a series of noise complaints made last summer and this summer. A member of the council’s out of hours noise service attended on July 8 and August 26, 2023. Both times, recorded music was being played. Windows were open, in breach of an existing licensing condition.
“The music was bass heavy and was intrusive inside the complainant’s property,” said the officer of the August 26 attendance, from 9.30pm. “The noise would also prevent the average person from sleeping.” It was still ongoing at 10.30pm. Lack of management on site was the accepted reason for the two individual events the council officer found caused a statutory nuisance.
New conditions include boundary checks carried out by a responsible person at regular intervals during events, and the individual responsible in the licence holder’s absence to be independent from the event being held. An event management plan is also required 28 days prior to the first event, setting out information such as how noise will be controlled. This plan must include that all people attending an event at CrosbyOne with regulated entertainment leave by 11pm.
Most general conditions that previously existed on the licence have been removed as well, after licensing requested so. These include a requirement for a first aid box.
(Image: Google Streetview)
During the licensing meeting, Crosby Together chair Martin Whitehouse indicated the centre’s ready willingness to agree to the suggested new conditions. He also detailed its own noise amplifier limitation equipment the centre planned, to restrict the volume people could turn music up to. “We’re sorry that the nuisance happened, we regret that,” said Mr Whitehouse, during the licensing meeting.
Mr Whitehouse did state hire charges would have to increase. The only way it could meet the condition of an individual on site independent of events was to employ someone. The community centre, which has been going for 26 years, is mostly run by volunteers.
There was a centre assistant who Mr Whitehouse indicated was competent and had trust in, but who would not be able to meet the individual on site condition as they were not yet 21 years old. Environmental protection got confirmation from licensing in the public part of the meeting that it was legally possible to change this age threshold to 18 years old.
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Councillors evidently heeded this when they deliberated behind closed doors. The conditions specify the license holder “employ a competent responsible person over the age of 18” to meet the relevant elements.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
