Action Plan on Noise Nuisance - YOUR help is needed
A meeting between Surrey Police, Environmental Health Officers, Licensing Officers, Local Councillors and Residents' Associations from Town Centre apartment blocks, has come up with various ideas for moving towards a quieter late night environment in our increasingly residential Town Centre.
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council's current Licensing policy was discussed. Due to the terms of the present Licensing Act it was clear that it is not possible to make significant policy changes. The Licensing Committee would need evidence of a significant increase in disturbance before they could legally consider refusing licences on the basis of there already being too many clubs and bars. However a number of steps that can be taken were identified.
The new chairman of the Licensing Committee has agreed attend the meetings of Pub Watch. This is where the managers of all the licensed premises come together to discuss matters of mutual concern and to exchange news on trouble makers.
Licensees have a statutory duty to ensure that people attending their premises do not engage in excessive drinking, which may lead to them causing trouble and disturbance. The plan is to work with this group and to request the police to help in a proactive manner by giving priority late at night at weekends in various areas with known problems, not just around the Spread Eagle junction but for example in Temple Road and the alleyway alongside Court Rec.
A key issue for the Licensing Committee is having adequately documented evidence to support requests to refuse license extensions. This can only be done if there is evidence of crimes or incidents of noise nuisance that are directly attributable to the pub or night club concerned. If the police are called many times and it is clear which premises were responsible, then action can be taken.
Residents can help their own interests by attending the neighbourhood police panels. At these meetings, the police meet the public to discuss policing priorities. Councillors also attend to listen to residents' concerns. The next meetings of the Epsom Central police panel will be held at the Town Hall at 10.30am on Tuesday 6th July.at the Town Hall and then on Wednesday 7th July at 7.00pm at Epsom Police Station.
It was agreed that representatives from the other blocks of flats in Epsom town centre would be encouraged to attend so that together with councillors they can prioritise police activity and call for increased evening policing in the Town centre.
In preparation for these meetings, residents in the blocks of flats affected should report report all incidents to the Police and also keep a log of the disturbances. Representatives from the local flats present at the meeting were keen to do this.
It may be possible to use noise recording equipment, if there are regular disturbances. The Environmental Health team have some equipment which has already been used successfully a couple of times in Hudson House. A suggestion that this could be used more regularly will be followed up by council officers.
There are different ways to report different types of late night disturbance:
- If it is a crime e.g. fighting then the police can be called. Make sure you get a crime reference number, even if the culprits have run off, as it counts as evidence.
- Noise on the other hand is a council issue. If the problem is the noise coming from the nightclub for example, there is an "out of hour's" noise service that you can contact by ringing 01372 732555 when the noise disturbance is occurring out of office hours, to discuss what action can be taken.
- If it is caused by shrieking in the streets or by revving the engines of cars that are about to disappear, it may be better to wait until the next day and then phone the Town Hall on 01372 732000.
In all cases, you should ensure that you get a reference number for your reported incident.
For further information about the control of noise nuisance and what help you can expect, visit the special page on the Borough Council website, using the Related Link below..