Liverpool City Council’s licensing committee has granted a consultation on implementing a late-night levy.
Meanwhile, Islington Borough Council has confirmed its scheme will come into force on 1 November of this year. It approved the measure in February and initially said it would be active from September.
The consultation in Liverpool will take place in October. The findings will then be discussed by the committee who would need the approval of the full council if they wanted to implement a late-night levy.
As part of a report presented to the committee, council officers projected revenue for various different models of a late-night levy. It found the levy would bring in between £60,000 and £420,000 a year after running costs, which would be split 70/30 between the police and council. The report estimates the current costs to Merseyside Police of policing the nighttime economy between midnight and 6am are at least £540,875 per annum.
The report also suggests the council is mindful of the sensitivity of the topic.
It says: “The Interim Head of Licensing is conscious that any decision to introduce a late-night levy may give rise to legal challenge and therefore proposes to procure a professional consultant to carry out any statutory consultation process in order to minimise the risk of any challenge on procedural grounds. The costs of so doing will be met from the licensing budget and may be recovered from the first year gross proceeds of any late-night levy, if implemented.”
Clare Eames, from Poppleston Allen, said: “Operators in Liverpool may wish to consider engaging with the Council before the consultation begins so as to be part of the process at an early stage.”
