National Licensing Forum

The original forum played a valuable role in informing licensing policy development, implementation and compliance for much of the 1990's and the first half of the last decade. Since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force in November 2005 the forum had fallen into disuse.

Given the on-going importance of licensing and the high profile nature of related problems, the Institute of Licensing initiated the re-establishment of the forum with the intention of once again providing the opportunity for discussion between representative groups in relation to licensing issues.

We believe the forum has an essential role to play in:

• informing the implementation of new licensing arrangements through legislative change
• acting as a sounding board for Government as further aspects of licensing reform are considered;
• allowing all to share best practice with regards to policy implementation; and
• giving industry an opportunity to work in partnership with regulators to improve both compliance and regulation.

The Institute is delighted to both chair and provide the secretariat for the NLF. The NLF effortlessly fits within our aim - to advance the development, evaluation and recognition of licensing in the public and private sectors.

Institute Executive Officer, Sue Nelson said at the time:

"I am delighted that the National Licensing Forum has been re-established. The previous forum was a valuable means of discussion for relevant licensing issues and forthcoming legislation both strategically and in terms of what is happening on the ground, and given the constantly changing face of licensing legislation, there is no doubt that the NLF can perform that role again.

The Institute is ideally placed to chair the forum given it’s objectives to promote mutual understanding between licensing practitioners and its broad church membership encompassing licensing practitioners from public and private sectors including the regulators and regulated.”

It is intended that the NLF will look to meet twice yearly, but will also have regard to calendar events which may give rise to licensing issues (for example, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics etc).

Any queries in relation to the NLF should be directed to Sue Nelson (email: sue@instituteoflicensing.org)