There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 15^th March and 24th May 2018 as an accurate record of the proceedings.

The minutes from the 15^th March 2018 meeting were agreed and approved to be an accurate record of the meeting.

The minutes from the 24^th May 2018 meeting were agreed and approved to be an accurate record of the meeting subject to the following amendments:

Page 16 – Councillor Ehtasham Haque stated he abstained from the vote and therefore the decision was not unanimously resolved.

The committee members agreed the minutes should state:

Accordingly, the majority of the committee RESOLVED:

Page 17 – point 4 Councillor Ehtasham Haque stated the committee agreed “no advertising that feature pictures or photographs should be displayed in the shop window...”

Members of the Licensing Committee concurred with the amendment and agreed to the deletion of the word “elsewhere” from the minute of the 24^th May 2018.

Natalie Thompson, Principal Environmental Health Officer informed members the application before them was to consider the revocation of a Special Treatment licence for Gao Medical Healthcare Ltd, 27 Skylines Village, London E14 9TS.

She stated the revocation was sought following the successful prosecution of the Licence Holder at Thames Magistrates Court on the 24^th January 2018. She referred members to points 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the report which gave further details of the circumstances for which a Special Treatment Licence is required. Ms Thompson also referred members to point 4.4 which listed the grounds for revocation, as per the London Local Authorities Act 1991.

Amran Ali, Health and Safety Officer provided Members with a detailed account of the investigation he had undertaken. He said the team had conducted test purchases in relation to premises with Special Treatment Licences to ensure compliance with the licence conditions.

Mr Ali said the Licensing Authority had contracted a surveillance company to undertake test purchases and the table at 8.1 showed the number of visits made in the last 24 months. Mr Ali said the first test purchase was carried out on the 20^th June 2017 followed by another on the 23^rd June 2017. He said the test purchasers were two different individuals who were both offered services of a sexual nature at the end of the massage.

Mr Ali stated the licence holder was prosecuted at the Thames Magistrates Court on the 24^th January 2018, on which occasion the defendant pleaded guilty to breaching the conditions of the licence and was fined and together with costs had a total of £1,100 to pay. 

Mr Ali stated the  Licensing Authority hoped the Licence Holder would have learnt lessons from the prosecution, however when a further test purchase was conducted on the 12^th March 2018, it was evident the Licence Holder continued to breach the terms of the Licence by offering services of a sexual nature.

Mr Ali said the Licence Holder, Ms Na Gao is the sole Company Director and manager of the business. The issued licence is solely in her name, she is the only therapist however Ms Gao has been running a brothel business whilst masquerading as a massage parlour. Mr Ali continued that the premise’s is on the periphery of Canary Wharf and the Licensing Authority has other concerns of illegal human trafficking of vulnerable individuals, especially young women and public health concerns of sexually transmitted diseases.

Mr Ali asked Members of the Licensing Committee to revoke the Licence based on the evidence before them.

Ms Na Gao did not attend the meeting.

Members of the Licensing Committee made the following comments and asked questions in relation to the application:

·         Why hasn’t the Licence Holder been further prosecuted after the test purchase of 12^th March 2018?

·         Why was the licence renewed in September 2017, when the two test purchases showed the Licence holder was in breach of the Licence?

·         In reference to points 7.2 and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.1