Agenda and minutes

It was moved by Councillor E Allman , seconded by Councillor M Hay and

RESOLVED THAT:

Councillor J Clarke take the chair for the remainder of the meeting.

There were no apologies for absence.

Under the Code of Conduct members are reminded that in declaring disclosable interests you should make clear the nature of that interest and whether it is pecuniary or non-pecuniary.

There were no declarations of interest.

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.

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.

Report of the Licensing Enforcement Officer

The Chairman introduced the parties and outlined the procedure to be followed.

The Hearing regulations 2005 stated that the Authority must allow parties an equal period of time in which to present their evidence.  It was agreed that the maximum time limit for each presentation be 10 minutes.

The Licensing Enforcement Officer presented the report, which asked members to determine whether the application for a dual hire driver’s licence should be granted.

In response to questions from Councillor E Allman and the Legal Advisor, the Licensing Enforcement Officer advised that the two convictions that were unknown where after the applicant’s license had ended, that the applicant was currently working as a booking officer for another taxi firm and that all the required training courses had been or would be undertaken when required.

The applicant addressed the meeting. He explained to the committee the background to the first conviction and that he was an innocent party to a fraud incident, of which he was embarrassed and it was unfortunate. In relation to the school contract matter, he advised that due to his car being in the garage for repairs and an MOT he had been using a hire car, which he had plated. He took the hire car back but had forgotten to put the plates back on for his usual car. He explained that the passenger’s father had been unable to take him and had the applicant not picked him up the passenger would not of gone to school with any other driver. He admitted that he should not have carried out the contract booking and advised the enforcement officer as soon as it had happened.

The Licensing Enforcement Officer confirmed that no complaints had ever been received about the applicant.

In response to questions from Councillor J Clarke, the applicant advised that everyone made mistakes, and that he put his hands up to the ones he had made and that he was not proud them. He added that it was his responsibility to get things right. He apologised for his carelessness over the 6 penalty points, and he knew that he had to notify the Council of points which he had done the majority of the time.

In response to a question from Councillor E Allman, the applicant advised the committee that he licence was currently clean, that he was hopeful that he had learnt from his mistakes and he had also learnt a lot more since he last held a taxi licence.

In response to questions from Councillor J Clarke, the applicant advised that there had been no further convictions and that he was not on any medication.

The Legal Advisor went through the list of convictions and highlighted that he had failed to notify the Council on a number of occasions of his convictions. She advised the applicant that the panel of members had to determine if he was a fit and proper person to hold a licence. She asked why there was not record of his  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.