WIREDGOV

Bournemouth City Council has confirmed a licensing consultation has been extended due to Covid-19.

The consultation is still ongoing, will now close four weeks after the official end of lockdown date is announced, with drop in events for landlords that were due to take place but could not also to be re-scheduled.

More details about the proposals can be read online here.

A number of other councils that were running licensing consultations before the lockdown was announced by the UK government have also extended consultation periods.

This includes County Durham, where a licensing consultation was initially due to close on 27th April, but will now close on 24th May.

In Greenwich, the council were running a live consultation on plans to extend a licensing scheme in London borough, however this has now been postponed for the time being due to Covid-19.

Government publishes guidance for local authorities on licensing schemes

In April, the government published guidance for councils on the implementation of licensing schemes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876501/Local_authority_rented_property_COVID_enforcement_guidance_v2.2.pdf.

The guidance states that “Where local authorities are in the process of introducing non-mandatory licensing schemes, but these are not yet in force, they should consider pausing these at an appropriate point, in line with the advice on proactive and reactive work.”