We’re delighted to see a high level of media interest in today’s licensing committee meeting to decide whether to impose a nil cap on Sexual Entertainment Venues in Portsmouth.

You can hear Chief Exec, Shonagh Dillon talking to Radio Solent about Aurora New Dawn’s decision to support the nil cap here – Shonagh Dillon on BBC Solent.

Due to the high level of misunderstanding on the implications of the nil cap during the Licensing Committee meeting, the city’s legal advisor intervened on several occasions to reiterate to councillors what the nil cap actually meant.

She explained that such a cap would, in effect, not constitute a ban of lap dancing clubs nor would it necessarily compel  local councillors from refusing planning or licensing permission to new or existing clubs. However, the nil cap introduces what is referred to as a ‘Rebuttable Presumption’, in effect a clear starting point for the local authority to state its position that lap-dancing clubs are not desirable for the city.

If the nil cap were accepted without amendment, the ‘Rebuttable Presumption’ would place responsibility with existing or new clubs to demonstrate their economic and social value to the city and local communities.

Members of the Licensing Committee reached a decision not to introduce the nil cap without amendment, voting by a clear majority to accept the amended Option 2.

This amendment now effectively exempts the 3 existing clubs in the city and 1 with planning permission for a 4th from being refused www.point-moneygram.com ‘renewal, variation or transfer’ of their existing licences, placing them beyond the jurisdiction of the nil cap adopted for applications from potential new clubs.

Responding to the Council’s decision, Shonagh Dillon stated:

“Aurora New Dawn and Portsmouth White Ribbon’s position is very clear on this matter: as long as SEV’s are in existence in communities, we are in a position where women’s bodies can be seen as a commodity to be bought and sold.

We would also respectfully state that whilst SEV’s are continuing to be licensed, Local Authorities will be working in direct contradiction to the Gender Equality Duty 2007 and the UN Treaty for Women. Our campaign will continue with other groups nationally including Object, The Fawcett Society and White Ribbon UK.”

Following recent news that television celebrity Justin Lee Collins has been found guilty of harassment causing fear of violence and sentenced to 140 hours of community work, Chief Executive Shonagh Dillon spoke to The Breeze about the case.

Listen here to Shonagh speaking on the The Breeze.

 

We were delighted to see Aurora New Dawn’s patron, Lauren Atkins from The Malins Group, in The Times today.

Lauren appears in an article about a new generation of women property developers. She talks about why she employs an all-female office and some of the challenges facing women in business.

“I recognised that there were so many talented women out there who didn’t want to work 50 hour weeks in the City because they wanted more of a balance in their lives. And I was more than happy to offer flexibility so that I could harness their untapped expertise.

We are all women with children, some work school hours and some part-time, but we are all incredibly dedicated.”

We’re an all-women team here at Aurora and know firsthand the challenges facing women in the workplace as well as the unique benefits that women bring to the working environment.

These similarities in our working ethos and practice have been really useful to Aurora in helping us explore innovative and dynamic approaches to the challenges posed by the current economic environment.

“It’s great to see Lauren and the Malins Group receive the recognition they rightly deserve. Lauren is a consummate professional woman working in the private sector, and we’re delighted to have her as our Patron,” said Aurora’s Chief Executive, Shonagh Dillon.

“Her knowledge of how the private sector and the voluntary sector can best work together is a fantastic and a much valued resource for us in the current climate. Equally, I hope that we contribute to the broader social goals of the Malin’s Group, which I know are very close to Lauren’s heart.”

The article can be read on The Times website – paywall warning!

Congratulations to Lauren and the Malins Group on the feature.

Lauren Atkins is our patron and her company, The Malins Group, is an official corporate partner to Aurora New Dawn.