4(1)In considering an application for the grant or renewal of a licence, a licensing authority may make such reasonable inquiries as they think fit and include the results of these inquiries in matters they take into account, but where they intend so to include any of these results they shall notify the applicant of that intention.S
(2)A licensing authority may, before reaching a final decision upon such an application, give the applicant and any person who has made a relevant objection or representation (within the meaning of paragraph 19 below) in relation to the application an opportunity to be heard by the authority and, where they propose to do so, shall, within such reasonable period (not being less than [F114] days) of the date of the hearing, notify the applicant and each such person of that date.
(3)A licensing authority shall not reach a final decision upon such an application—
(a)in relation to which a relevant objection or representation (within the meaning of paragraph 19 below) has been made to them or in relation to which they intend to take into account any result of their inquiries under sub-paragraph (1) above; and
(b)in respect of which they have not, under this paragraph, given the applicant and any person who has made any such objection or representation an opportunity to be heard,
unless they have given the applicant an opportunity to notify them in writing of his views on such objection or representation or, as the case may be, result within such reasonable period (not being less than 7 days) as they may specify.
(4)The period referred to in sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) above shall begin with the date when the notification given by the licensing authority for the purpose of sub-paragraph (2) or, as the case may be, (3) is delivered to the person concerned and, when it is sent by post, it shall be treated as being delivered at the time when it might be expected to be delivered in the normal course of post.
Textual Amendments
F1Word in Sch. 1 para. 4(2) substituted (28.2.2011) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 178(2)(f), 206(1); S.S.I. 2010/413, art. 2, sch. (with sch.)