COUNCILLORS have granted a licence for a pub to the south of Carlisle despite police objections over the prevention of crime and disorder.
PC Heidi Underwood, from Cumbria Police, had objected to the transfer of the premises licence for The Black Lion pub in Durdar which named Mark Charles Winter as the designated premises supervisor (DPS).
She told members of Cumberland Council's licensing sub-committee, at a meeting at Allerdale House in Workington on Wednesday (May 29), that she felt Mr Winter was 'stretching himself too thin', as he was also named as the DPS at a number of other premises in Carlisle including Bar 32, Secret and The MadHatter.
However, when committee chairwoman, councillor Jeanette Whalen (Yewdale, Labour), asked if there was a limit on the number of premises that one person could be the DPS for, she was told by a council licensing officer that there was not.
PC Underwood said that a DPS was meant to be a central point of contact for a licenced premises and that Cumbria Police had "serious concerns" that Mr Winter would not be able to fulfil the licencing objectives for the Black Lion, which is three miles from Carlisle city centre where his other businesses were located.
She claimed that there had been 'a lack of cooperation' by Mr Winter in providing CCTV footage but he said this had been because the system would not allow him to upload it and it was now available on a memory stick.
Mr Winter told members that when he lived in the Barnsley area he had been the DPS for a total of eight premises and he had since moved on from The MadHatter.
He added: "The Black Lion hasn't had any major incidents at all. I've owned that business since November 18."
The licencing officer told members that, when it came to running his own businesses, Mr Winter ran them efficiently and added: "I think he runs a tight ship."
Committee chairwoman councillor Jeanette Whalen (Yewdale, Labour) said: "This matter concerns the objection from Cumbria Constabulary to the application to vary the licence for the Black Lion pub to specify Mr Winter as a designated premises supervisor.
"The sub-committee today has considered the application and heard from the council's licencing officers, the applicant and from a representative from Cumbria Constabulary.
"Having had regard to the provisions of the licensing act, the national guidance, the local licensing policy and the four licensing objectives the sub-committee have today decided to dismiss the objection for the application to specify a DPS and grant the application.
"The reasons for this are the sub-committee are satisfied that the licensing objectives will not be undermined by the applicant taking on this role of DPS.
"The sub-committee are satisfied that you will have sufficient measures in place to uphold the four licensing objectives."
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