Scottish licensing law requires that all councils set up a licensing forum for their area. Forums must be made up of between five and twenty members, with the actual number of members decided by each council. Renfrewshire Council has agreed that their licensing forum will have 12 members. The role of the forum is to keep the operation of the licensing system in Renfrewshire under review and to give advice and recommendations to the licensing board. This does not include reviewing, offering advice or making recommendations in relation to any particular application or case before the board. The licensing board has the duty to 'have regard' to the forum's views and must offer reasons where it takes decisions against the advice of the forum.