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This Licensing Policy sets out East Devon District Council’s requirements for premises to be licensed as sex establishments within the meaning of Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 (as amended by section 27 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009).  This legislation shall be referred to thereafter as ‘the Act’.

Section 2 of the Act provides that local authorities may resolve that Schedule 3 will apply to their area, which has the effect of requiring premises operating as sex establishments in that authority’s area to be licensed.  The adoption of schedule 3 also allows us to set terms and conditions and fees for the grant, renewal, variation and transfer of such licences and the number of licences that may be issued in the area, which may be nil.

We do not take a moral stand in adopting this policy.  It recognises that parliament has made it lawful to operate a sex establishment, and that such businesses are a legitimate part of the retail and leisure industries.  It is our role as a licensing authority to administer this licensing regime in accordance with the law.