Meeting documentation

Meeting documents

Taxi and Private Hire Sub Committee
Wednesday, 1st August, 2012 6.30 pm

ItemDescriptionResolution
Declaration of interests - members are reminded that following the adoption by Council of the new Code of Conduct, any declaration of interest should be made having regard to the new code. In particular, members must make clear the nature of the interest and whether it is 'personal' or 'prejudicial'.

The Monitoring Officer would like to remind members that when they are considering whether the following items are exempt information under the relevant paragraph under part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 they must have regard to the public interest test. This means that members must consider, for each item, whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption from disclosure outweighs the public interest in making the item available to the public.
1 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
RESOLVED THAT:

Councillor N Smith take the Chair for the remainder of the meeting.
2 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
There were no apologies for absence received.
 
3 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
There were no interests declared.
 
4 EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
RESOLVED THAT:

In pursuance of Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, and in the circumstances of the matter under consideration, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.
The officers consider that the press and public should be excluded during consideration of the following items in accordance with Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 as publicity would be likely to result in disclosure of exempt or confidential information.
5 APPLICATION FOR A PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER'S LICENCE
The Licensing Enforcement Officer presented the report which asked members to determine whether the applicant was a fit and proper person to hold a private hire driver's licence. He gave background details and highlighted the options available to members.

There were no questions for the Licensing Enforcement Officer.

The applicant presented his case. He stated that he was aware that he had made a mistake and that he had learnt from it. He now wanted to move on with his life and concentrate on the future.

The applicant's current employer, manager of Abbey Cars, addressed the Committee. He informed Members that the applicant had been working part time taking bookings in the evenings and at weekends for Abbey Cars, and there had been no problems or complaints. He stated that he would ensure the applicant was following the rules and regulations if his licence was granted. He also stated that the applicant had tried very hard to move on with his life, including taking an anger management course, and he was happy to give him a job driving to support his family.

In response to questions from the Licensing Enforcement Officer, the applicant stated that he would undertake further qualifications if it would assist in obtaining his licence and that he would ensure he was careful to keep out of trouble so that he was not brought to Committee again.

In response to questions from Members, the applicant stated the following:

- The anger management course undertaken was a one day course in which he learnt how to control his anger. It was taken in Birmingham and provided by a registered company.

- Since the course was undertaken, the applicant had been working in a warehouse under an agency and working as an operator for Abbey Cars.

- Since the previous committee hearing, the applicant had been keeping out of trouble and focusing on his family. He had been working when he could as part of an agency and was now ready to move on.

- He had been working for Abbey Cars for the last 6 months.

In response to a question from the Legal Advisor, the manager of Abbey Cars stated that there were courses available that his drivers undertook but they were not paid for by Abbey Cars.

At 7.00pm the Sub Committee adjourned to consider its decision.

During deliberation, the Licensing Enforcement Officer obtained further details regarding the anger management course undertaken by the applicant. This was given to the Members and to the applicant.

The meeting reconvened at 7.25pm.

The Legal Advisor confirmed that the Members were given a copy of the website pages which included information regarding the Anger Management Course undertaken by the Applicant. It included details of the providers and the large companies that use it.

  • (Attachment: 1)Report of the Licensing Enforcement Officer
  • (Attachment: 2)Information circulated at the meeting
RESOLVED THAT:

The application for a Private Hire Driver's Licence be granted on the following basis:

1) A strict warning be issued regarding future conduct.

2) Any application to convert the licence from a Private Hire Driver's Licence to a Hackney Carriage Driver's Licence be reserved to a Sub Committee.

3) Authority to suspend or revoke the licence as appropriate in the event of a complaint regarding behaviour be delegated to the Licensing Enforcement Officers. In the event that the Licence is suspended, the circumstances of the suspension is to be referred to a Sub Committee for determination of whether the licence should be revoked.

4) The renewal of the licence be reserved to a Sub Committee for consideration of conduct over the preceding 12 months.
Published on Wednesday, 22nd August, 2012
The meeting closed at 7.30pm.

Attendance Details

Present:
Councillors J Cotterill, T Neilson and N Smith

Officers: Miss C Catherall, Mr A Cooper, Mr D Gill and Mrs R Wallace

The applicant was in attendance with his current employer.