New RBWM licensing policy agreed despite noise enforcement concerns

Councillors voted in favour of adopting a new licensing policy, but members raised concerns about a lack of enforcement on noise levels.

At a full council meeting on Tuesday (September 23), an updated licensing policy was presented to councillors, with strengthened rules around safeguarding and public protection.

Councillor Richard Coe, cabinet member for household and regulatory services, said this is the first policy since the COVID-19 pandemic, when local authorities were unable to consult with traders.

The new policy will come into force from 2026 until 2030.

Businesses need to apply for licences to be able to sell alcohol in shops and pubs and to regulate noise levels during events such as music festivals within the borough.

The policy has four aims: to prevent crime and disorder as well as public nuisance, protect children from harm and ensure public safety.

But councillors were concerned about how noise levels will be monitored as part of the policy and what enforcement steps can be taken.

Speaking at the Town Hall meeting, councillor Helen Price (Ind, Clewer and Dedworth East) said: “Both at local and national level, enforcement on so many things just isn’t there.

“So, residents suffer at the hands of a few selfish individuals. Is this just the way it is now?”

Cllr Mark Howard (Lib Dem, Bisham and Cookham) agreed and said there is a lack of officers available to measure noise levels across the borough.

He said: “[There] is an issue about not just the enforcement of noise limits but the ability to measure them.

“It’s a bit of a challenge when anyone’s trying to complain about something.”

The meeting heard the Royal Borough currently has no out-of-hours enforcement for noise levels and any enforcement is done retrospectively.

Cllr Coe (Lib Dem, Riverside) said: “Out of hours enforcement, yes, we don’t have any. That’s not atypical now; lots of councils have given up out-of-hours enforcement.

“As councils are more and more short on money, they reduce their services to their statutory duties and are doing less discretionary duties.”

He added that the policy has ‘limitations on what can be achieved’ and it does not cover noise nuisance coming from people’s homes.

Cllr Jodie Grove (Ind, Datchet, Horton and Wraysbury) was ‘pleased’ to see strategies to tackle violence against women and girls included in the new policy.

This includes plans to introduce the ‘Ask for Angela’ in pubs and clubs, a scheme where people who feel unsafe in a venue can approach staff and ask for Angela to discreetly get help.

But Councillor Grove wanted to know how the policy will ensure venues know about the ‘Ask for Angela’ scheme and how staff can use it to help women who are in danger.

Cllr Coe (Lib Dem, Riverside) said venues are encouraged to take part in the Ask for Angela scheme, but this is not a legal requirement.

Cllr Coe said: “It is something that businesses can opt into. They can voluntarily take on board a condition. There is information for businesses wanting to adopt Ask for Angela. That is led by the police, not by us.”

Councillors ultimately adopted the policy with the new rules due to be implemented from January 2026.