Prof Stephen Crow, Chair of the Casino Advisory Panel, announced that the Panel will be holding an examination in public (EiP) into the proposal of Newcastle Council to be permitted to licence a regional casino. The EiP will be held in Newcastle on Tuesday 5 September 2006. He said:
"Based on its analysis of the written evidence that has so far been submitted, the Panel has shortlisted the proposal made by the Council for a regional casino to be situated in its area. At the EiP the panel will hear more from Newcastle Council and other invited participants on the merits of the proposal for a regional casino in the area. The Panel will also be holding an EiP in each of the other seven local authority areas that have been shortlisted for a regional casino. The further evidence provided will assist the Panel to make its recommendation to the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport as to where in Britain the regional casino should be located.".
"The EiP will take the form of a round table discussion by the Council and participants invited by the Panel. In inviting participants the Panel will see that as full a range of views as possible is represented. As Parliament has already decided that there should be one regional casino in Britain, the Panel will expect participants to give their views on why or why not it should be in Newcastle rather than their views on gambling generally".
"Members of the public and organisations who would like to be EiP participants should write to the Panel Secretariat no later than 4.00pm on Thursday 10 August 2006 setting out a brief summary (in no more than 1500 words) of the case that they would wish to make during the discussion. The Panel will then assess those applications and issue invitations. The Panel's decision on the list of participants will be final. There will also be space available in the EiP venue on a first come first served basis for members of the public generally who wish to observe the proceedings."
"More detailed guidance on the EiP process and questions that the Panel have asked each of the eight shortlisted local authorities in advance will be published on the Casino Advisory Panel website in the next few days. A venue in Newcastle for the EiP will be announced on the Casino Advisory Panel website as soon as details have been
confirmed. Details can also be sought from the Panel Secretariat - contact information in notes to editors below."
