Agenda and minutes

To elect a Member to act as Chair of the meeting

Decision

That Councillor Tim Grogan be elected as Chair for the duration of the meeting.

(Councillor Grogan in the Chair)

There were no apologies for absence.

Councillors are invited to declare at this point any disclosable pecuniary interests they have in items appearing on this agenda, including the nature of those interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm the procedure to be followed at the meeting.

Decision

The Sub-Committee agreed the procedure for the meeting as outlined by the Chair.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 excluding the press and public from the meeting during consideration of item 4 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.

Decision

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public were excluded from the meeting during consideration of the item of business at minute no 6 on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as the Panel was satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

To receive a report from the Corporate Director of Environment.

The hearing was the resumption of a matter which should initially have been heard on 3 December 2024, however, despite a number of attempts by the local authority to contact the licence holder to make them aware of the hearing, all efforts had been unsuccessful.  At the hearing of the 3 December 2024, Members resolved to adjourn the hearing in order to provide the local authority further time to contact the licence holder, which would afford the licence holder the opportunity to make representations and attend a future hearing.

The licence holder was present remotely at today’s hearing via Microsoft Teams.

In making their decision, Members considered the content of the report and appendices, the verbal presentation by the Licensing Enforcement Officer on behalf of the licensing authority, the verbal presentation by the licence holder, the Council’s Taxi Licensing Policy and the statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards issued by the Department of Transport.

The Sub-Committee were impressed by the licence holder’s presentation and the remorse shown and acknowledged that the licence holder had not been before Members in any adverse capacity prior to this, and that no other issues had been raised as to their conduct as a driver.

Decision

Members were unanimous in their decision that the licence holder was a fit and proper person within the meaning of sections 51 and 59 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, to hold a Dual Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s Licence, and therefore no further action need be taken.

However, Members wished to impress upon the licence holder the seriousness of their conduct and requested that the licence holder be warned by the local authority as to their future conduct in terms of driving.  Members reminded the licence holder that whilst they had surrendered their badge to the local authority, the licence remained extant, and therefore the licence holder remained a licensed driver with the local authority until 28 February 2025.