97Decision to grant or refuse a community store licence

97 Decision to grant or refuse a community store licence

(1) The Secretary must decide whether to grant a community store licence to the owner of a community store if: (a) an application for the community store licence has been made under section 96; or (b) a notice under section 95A that a community store licence is required to be held by the owner of the community store is in effect, and such a licence was not in effect at the time the notice was given. (2) The Secretary may grant a community store licence to the owner of a community store on the Secretary’s own initiative. (3) The Secretary must not grant a community store licence to the owner of a community store unless the Secretary is satisfied that, if the licence is granted, the community store or stores to which the licence relates will be operated in a satisfactory manner, having regard to: (a) the assessable matters; and (b) any assessment of the community store or stores under section 94; and (c) any other matter the Secretary considers relevant. (4) The Secretary may refuse to grant a community store licence to a person if: (a) the person or another person: (i) unreasonably withholds consent for an authorised officer to enter the premises of the community store under section 118; or (ii) unreasonably refuses to provide documents, material or assistance as required by section 119; or (b) in any case—the person does not give the Secretary sufficient documents, material or assistance to enable the Secretary to make an informed decision. (5) In making a decision under this section, the Secretary must have regard to: (a) the circumstances, concerns and views of people who are being serviced by the community store; and (b) the object of this Part (see section 91A).