2017 is already shaping up to be a busy year of changes and developments that will impact on clubs and their management.
New Currency
The new pound coin will come into circulation on 28 March, with the old pound coin being withdrawn on 15 October. The old style £5 note, which has been replaced by the new polymer note, will cease to be legal tender on 5 May and a new polymer £10 note is expected to be introduced this Autumn. A new polymer £20 note will follow in 2020. It is anticipated that forgers will try to offload their stores of notes before they cease to resemble legal tender, so staff should be advised to be more vigilant over the coming months. Information on forgeries and how to spot them can be found at the Bank of England, who has also designed a smartphone app to assist.
Water Deregulation
The newsletter of 2 March carried full details of the English water and wastewater changes, however, if you intend to switch supplier by the commencement date of 1 April, the deadline is 24 March.
National Minimum Wage
As reported in February the New National Minimum and Living Wage rates come into force on 1 April. The new rates and further details can be found on the ACAS website.
New Business Rates
No doubt, you have all received notification of the 2017/18 business rates due for your club. These have been based on new revaluations carried out in England, Scotland and Wales last year. Northern Ireland will not have another revaluation until 2019.
In the newsletters of September 2016 and February 2017 changes to the appeal process were outlined and it is hoped that any incorrect details in your club’s valuation have already been notified to the Valuation Office, as the deadline is 1 April 2017. Those of you who wish to appeal can do so from 1 April and any incorrect details on your valuation will stand if they were not notified previously.
Club Gaming Permits (CGP) and Club Machine Permits (CMP)
Following the introduction of the Gambling Act 2005, a new regime was introduced for regulating gambling and betting throughout the United Kingdom. Upon its introduction on 1 September 2007, clubs who held a Club Premises Certificate could apply for either a CGP or a CMP. These permits expire after 10 years, therefore will need to be renewed by their expiry date which should be on or after 1 September 2017. However, if a club applied under the Fast Track Procedure (not available in Scotland) then the permit should have no expiry date and need not be renewed. Even if the permit was applied for under the Fast Track Procedure it should be checked as some Local Authorities mistakenly included an expiry date.
Those clubs who do not hold a Club Premises Certificate can only hold a CMP and this will expire after 10 years and will need to be renewed.
The renewal process for both CGPs and CMPs must be made within a specific window calculated backwards from its expiry date. The application will only be accepted if it is between three months and six weeks prior to the expiry date, therefore an expiry date of 1 September 2017 must be renewed between 1 June and 21 July 2017.
The renewal fee is £200 and the permit will not then expire for another 10 years. However, if a club does hold a Club Premises Certificate then it can apply under the Fast Track Procedure which only costs £100 and the permit should have no expiry date.
For further information please contact your local authority or you can visit the Gambling Commission.
By GCMA
