Ex-mayor of Gosport given council licensing role after Pubwatch ban

Councillor Wayne Ronayne was given a six-month ban from Pubwatch’s 36 venues just hours have being elected on 4 June, due to two reports he was drunk and disorderly. He resigned from the post six weeks later.

Gosport Pubwatch chair Phil Cox said Ronayne, and Mayoress Paula Carter, were ejected by police from Wetherspoons pub the Star on 4 June after refusing to leave the premises.

He said the pair were asked to leave by bar staff because they had had too much to drink, and then Carter responded by threatening to close the premises down. She then attempted to enter the nearby Nelsons bar where she was again refused and made the same claim, he said.

But publicans have expressed their concerns once again after the leader of the council elected to give Ronayne a position on the licensing board.

'Conflict of interest'​

Cox, who also runs local Hardway Cabs taxi firm, said: “It’s an absolutely ridiculous move for the Conservatives to put him on the licensing committee knowing he has a Pubwatch ban for his behaviour and conduct. How can he sit and cast judgment on someone else’s character after his own has been brought into disrepute?

“I will be taking this up with National Pubwatch to lobby to have him removed from the board. It is too much of a conflict of interest.”

However, Ronayne insisted that "as a professional and honourable man [he] will still remain impartial".

Nelsons owner Arthur Caraccio said: “I can’t see why they put him on the licensing committee when there are plenty of other committees he could have gone on. The leader of the council and others have objected to the way he was treated by Pubwatch, sticking two fingers up at Pubwatch and other licensees.

“What do they expect? Surely they must have realised the public would get wind of this and question it?

“If my pub was up for review I would want him and all his supporters off the board and I should have every right.”

'Politically motivated'​

However, licensing board chair Roger Allen said Ronayne “does not deserve” this response.

“This is very much politically motivated and it seems to me somebody is trying to perpetuate this story to basically wreck his council career,” he said.

“As far as the licensing board goes, we very rarely deal with any pub licences these days and most of it is to do with taxis.

“If a licensing application for liquor came in or we had to do a review of a particular pub then it would be up to the councillors themselves to determine whether or not they can sit on that board and deal with that case impartially. And if not they would have to declare their interest and retire. But I have every confidence in Ronayne. He’s a very honourable man.”

Mark Hook, leader of Gosport Borough Council, said the board has not dealt with any liquor licensing requests by any group or publican for over two years.

“Councillor Ronayne has taken the place of the new mayor, who was a member of the board. It was a straight swap. I am surprised at the reaction to a Councillor who has worked hard and conscientiously and will only be one of 12 members who would determine any application should we receive any,” he said.

Ronayne said: "Despite the fact that the Pubwatch ban was a subjective decision taken following both alleged and unsubstantiated events, as a professional and honourable man I will still remain impartial.

"However, if on the rare occasion a licensing issue came before the board that generated a potential conflict of interest, I would certainly declare such interest and take no part in the decision making process. Alternatively I may request a substitute member to replace me for that particular sitting of the board."