Why? If you are interested in the impact of the licensing decisions in your area then you may wish to be part of the forum. The forum is independent from the licensing board but at the same time they share the common goal of having the local community's best interest at the heart of the decision making.

The forum's role is to keep under review the operation of the new Licensing Act in the forum area and to give advice and make recommendations to the Board in relation to those matters as the forum considers appropriate. This will be mainly at a policy level as the forum cannot comment on individual cases.

When?
Each forum will meet 4 times a year at quarterly intervals. However there is a bit of work to initially check the forum details pages for dates of meetings.

Training for Forum Members
Training sessions have been completed in South Lanarkshire and Glenrothes, with positive feedback on both the events from those involved.

The next training date is for the Borders on the 8th February at the Cafraemill Hotel in Lauder, which is close to the A68 and is about 20 miles south of Edinburgh.

Further training will be arranged for the Islands and will begin the week starting 24th March, with Stornoway, then Orkney, followed by Shetland.

A final two days training will follow for Dumfries and Galloway, also highland region, which will probably be in Inverness.

Highlands training should be mid April with Dumfries and Galloway toward the end of April, or early May.

Annual Licensing Conference Aviemore
The annual licensing Conference will take place in Aviemore on the 3rd and 4th of September at The Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort Hotel.

This will be an opportunity for Forums to come together for additional training in a more social atmosphere, allowing more time to discuss issues with a wide cross section of people from across the licensing trade.

Alcohol Focus Scotland will invite representatives of the government to give presentations regarding the 2005 Act and many of the recent developments which will come into force at the end of the transition phase.

Looking forward to seeing your forum representatives on these dates!