To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what role (a) town and (b) parish councils have in making representations to a licensing authority in respect of an application pertaining to their local area; and on what grounds a licensing authority may reject such representations. (108270)

Revised guidance to licensing authorities issued by the Secretary of State in June this year clarified that a parish council is a body which represents people living in the vicinity of a premises. It is therefore an interested party able to make relevant representations under the Act. This also applies to town councils.

For the licensing authority to consider representations from interested parties to be relevant they must relate to the impact of the application on the licensing objectives, be made within the prescribed period and not be frivolous or vexatious.