District Licensing Committee

District Licensing Committee

To administer the Council’s alcohol licensing framework as determined by the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The Act requires the Council to appoint one or more District Licensing Committees to deal with licensing matters. Although the District Licensing Committee in Central Hawke's Bay is a committee of Council and receives Council administrative support, it operates as a quasi-judicial body without the influence of Council.

The Chair of the Committee acts in an independent and objective role and the members are a mix of appointed councillors and suitably qualified lay persons.

Terms of Reference:

The functions of the District Licensing Committee is specified by the Act and include:

1. to consider and determine applications for licences and manager’s certificates,
2. to consider and determine applications for renewal of licences and manager’s certificates,
3. to consider and determine applications for temporary authority to carry on the sale and supply of alcohol in accordance with section 136,
4. to consider and determine applications for the variation, suspension, or cancellation of special licences,
5. to consider and determine applications for the variation of licences (other than special licences) unless the application is brought under section 280,
6. with the leave of the chairperson for the licensing authority, to refer applications to the licensing authority,
7. to conduct inquiries and to make reports as may be required of it by the licensing authority under section 175, and
8. any other functions conferred on licensing committees by or under this Act or any other enactment.

The committee may make recommendations to Council.

Chair’s delegation

When no objection to an application has been received (for a licence, manager’s certificate, or renewal of a license or manager’s certificate), and no matters of opposition have been raised under section 103, 129 or 141, the Chair has the delegation to decide on the papers and issue decisions on such applications.

District Licensing Annual Report

The Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, as a territorial authority, is required to report annually on the proceedings and operations of the District Licensing Committee. The District Licensing Annual Report for 2019-2020 is available here.