Agenda item

(This item contains personal information regarding applicants and licence holders which is exempt from publication by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972)

The Sub-Committee was informed of applicants and Licence Holders who had given sufficient cause for concern as to be referred for consideration.

Members discussed the applications and referrals as appropriate.

(i)      S.S. (New Applicant)

Mr Ratcliffe, Licensing Enforcement Officer was in attendance and presented the case on behalf of the authority. It was reported that the applicant had two previous convictions for drink driving which gave cause for concern to the Licensing Service.

The applicant was in attendance with his brother and made representations to the Sub-Committee. SS explained that he regretted the offences outlined in the report and suggested that he had made some poor lifestyle choices in the past. He added that he wished to put those times behind him and was now looking for greater stability and flexibility in his work to accommodate his family life.

The Sub-Committee considered the seriousness and relevance of the driving offences committed by SS but accepted on balance that he had made positive changes to his life and deserved to be given a chance given the time that had elapsed since the most recent offence.

Resolved:

To grant the Private Hire Driver’s Licence with the addition of a Severe Warning Letter in relation to future conduct indicating that in the event the applicant was brought before the Sub-Committee again in the future, suspension or revocation of the Licence would be the likely outcome.

(ii)    C.A. (New Applicant)

The applicant was in attendance and in response to the authority case which listed numerous criminal convictions that included violent offences and motoring convictions, CA produced a letter in support of his application and explained that since those convictions, his circumstances had changed and he now had a family and ran a business with his wife. With regards to the offences, the applicant regretted mistakes he had made in younger life and assured Members that his poor choices were a result of youth and ignorance.

The Sub-Committee believed that on balance that whilst the offences gave cause for concern, they were historic and the applicant had clearly made positive steps to change his life for the better and had largely mitigated his earlier mistakes.

Resolved:

To grant the Private Hire Driver’s Licence with the addition of a Severe Warning Letter in relation to future conduct indicating that in the event the applicant was brought before the Sub-Committee again in the future, suspension or revocation of the Licence would be the likely outcome.

(iii)  M.R. (Existing Private Hire Driver)

The Licence Holder was not in attendance and therefore made no representations to the Sub-Committee. In the absence of any contact from the driver, Members agreed to hear the case in his absence.

Mr Ratcliffe informed the Sub-Committee that as a licensed driver, MR was required to submit to a Group Two Medical once every five years given his age. In addition, the driver had failed to attend certain required training sessions and the Licensing Service had been unable to make contact with him.

Given the lack of cooperation and failure to attend required medical and training appointments, the Sub-Committee agreed that the driver appeared not to be taking his responsibilities seriously enough. In light of this, Members reasoned that the Licence ought to be suspended until such time as all outstanding requirements had been satisfied and should those requirements not be met after an extended length of time, the Licence would be reviewed again by the Sub-Committee in the future.

Resolved:

To suspend the Private Hire Vehicle Driver’s Licence for MR until all outstanding medical and training requirements had been completed.

(iv)  J.L. (Existing Private Hire Driver)

Mr Ratcliffe outlined the case on behalf of the authority. It was noted that the driver had been convicted of an offence for using a mobile phone whilst driving which he had also failed to declare to the Licensing Service until his renewal application almost two years after the date of the offence.

JL was in attendance and claimed that in relation to the offence, he was operating a satnav at the time and not a mobile phone and was stationary at traffic lights.

The Sub-Committee reasoned that perhaps there was some mitigation in the explanation provided by the driver regarding the offence and he had not given cause for concern previously. However, it was felt that JL should have notified the Licensing Service once he had been convicted rather than wait until his renewal application.

Resolved:

To issue a Severe Warning Letter in relation to future conduct indicating that in the event he was brought before the Sub-Committee again in the future, suspension or revocation of the Licence would be the likely outcome.

Background papers: exempt