Agenda and draft minutes

You are invited to declare any registerable and/or non-registerable interests in matters appearing on the agenda, and the nature of that interest.

You are also invited to disclose any dispensation in relation to any registerable and/or non-registerable interests that have been granted to you in respect of any matters appearing on the agenda.

Please complete the Declarations of Interests card available at the meeting and return it to the Democratic Services Officer before leaving the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest reported.

Mr Haswell, representing one of the drivers, reported that he knew Councillor Darke and was a member of the Labour Party.  He confirmed that he did not consider that this would affect consideration of the driver’s case and that he and his client were happy to proceed with the matter.

The Committee will be requested to pass the following resolution:

Resolved that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) and having applied a public interest test as defined in Part 2 of Schedule 12A of the Act, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

Resolved that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) and having applied a public interest test as defined in Part 2 of Schedule 12A of the Act, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

The Committee considered a report from the Head of Public Protection, Community Safety and Emergency Planning which set out the background to an appeal submitted by Mr P against the decision of the Authority to refuse to renew his Private Hire Driver’s Licence.

The Committee was requested to determine whether to uphold the appeal and grant Mr P a licence or dismiss the appeal and confirm the decision of the Authority not to renew the licence.

A licensing officer and Mr P attended the meeting.  Mr P was represented by Mr H at the hearing.

The Licensing Officer presented the report and answered questions from members of the Committee.

Mr H and Mr P were given the opportunity of asking questions of the Licensing Officer.

Mr H then addressed the Committee on behalf of Mr P.

Members of the Committee then asked questions of Mr H and Mr P and sought clarification on a number of matters.

Following summing up by the Licensing Officer and Mr H, on behalf of Mr P, all parties left the meeting to allow consideration of the matter to be undertaken in private.

In determining its response, the Committee took into account all that had been presented and included in the papers submitted to the meeting and had regard to Section 51 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy and the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards.

Resolved that Mr P’s appeal be dismissed as the Committee was not satisfied that he was a fit and proper person to hold a licence with the Authority.

The Committee considered a report from the Head of Public Protection, Community Safety and Emergency Planning which set out the background to an appeal lodged by Mr J against the decision of the Authority to refuse to grant him a Private Hire Driver’s Licence.

The Committee was requested to determine whether to uphold the appeal and grant Mr J a licence or dismiss the appeal and confirm the decision of the Authority not to grant the licence.

A licensing officer and Mr J attended the meeting.

The Licensing Officer presented the report and answered questions from the members of the Committee.

Mr J was then given the opportunity to ask questions of the Licensing Officer.

Mr J then addressed the Committee.

Members of the Committee asked questions of Mr J and sought clarification on a number of matters.

Following summing up from both the Licensing Officer and Mr J, both parties left the meeting to allow consideration of the matter to be undertaken in private.

In determining its response, the Committee took into account all that had been presented and contained within the papers submitted to the meeting and had regard to Section 51 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy and the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards.

Resolved that Mr J’s appeal be upheld and he be granted a private hire driver’s licence.