Members of the Panel are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non pecuniary interests, in connection with any application on the agenda and state the nature of the interest.

Members of the Panel were asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in connection with any application on the agenda and state the nature of the interest.

No such declarations were made.

The Managing Director for Delivery reported upon an application to re-license a Ford Focus, registration number SW07 CJU, beyond the normal over-age date for a licensed private hire vehicle.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 14 May 2007.  It had been licensed as a private hire vehicle since 16 January 2014 and the current licence was due to expire on 13 May 2017, though it had been extended to the date of the meeting.  The vehicle had passed the compliance test necessary for a licence to be issued.

RESOLVED:

That the application to license the Ford Focus, registration number SW07 CJU, be granted for a further six months. 

The Managing Director for Delivery reported upon an application to license an LTI TXII, registration number DG02 MGV, as a Hackney Carriage Vehicle. 

The date of first registration of the vehicle was 15 years ago. 

It is the delegated authority of the Licensing Panel to determine applications for Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licences where the vehicle could not comply with the current criteria for licensing Hackney Carriage Vehicles. 

On 22 May 2013, Members of the Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee resolved that:

In circumstances when a Hackney Carriage Vehicle proprietor wishes to change a Hackney Carriage Vehicle that is currently licensed to a different vehicle, the replacement vehicle must be the same age or less than the vehicle that is currently licensed up to a maximum of ten years old.  Vehicles that are ten years old or more must be replaced by a vehicle that is no more than ten years old and that this Policy is to have immediate effect.

The Licensing Panel be delegated with the authority to act outside this policy.

Members considered the application.  They noted existing corrosion issues and that no documentary evidence had been provided to support the assertion that advisories within the MOT dated 4^th May 2017 had been addressed.

In determining the application, Members had considered the Policy and did not identify any reason to act outside the Policy.

RESOLVED:

That the application to license an LTI TXII, registration number DG02 MGV, be refused.

The Managing Director for Delivery reported upon an application to license a Hyundai Trajet, registration number YB56 AOY, beyond the normal over-age date for a licensed private hire vehicle.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 21 December 2006.  It had been licensed as a private hire vehicle since 15 June 2015 and the current licence was due to expire on 14 June 2017.  The vehicle had passed the compliance test necessary for a licence to be issued.

RESOLVED:

That the application to license the Hyundai Trajet, registration number YB56 AOY, be granted for a further six months. 

The Managing Director for Delivery reported upon an application to license a Ford Tourneo Eclipse as a Private Hire Vehicle. 

The powers relating to the licensing of a vehicle as a Private Hire Vehicle were contained within the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, which provided that a licence would not be granted unless the Council was satisfied that the vehicle was –

·  Suitable in type, size and design for use as a private hire vehicle;

·  Not of such design and appearance as to lead any person to believe that the vehicle was a Hackney carriage.

·  In a suitable mechanical condition

·  Safe; and

·  Comfortable.

The vehicle was inspected and the applicant’s representative was questioned regarding the vehicle and its structure.  Members raised concerns over the tensile strength of the steel in this configuration, the credentials of the company which carried out testing of the vehicle, as reported by the applicant’s representative, and that the applicant had not appeared in person before the Panel at the hearing.  The Panel considered they required further information on the vehicle, so would need to defer the application.

RESOLVED:

That this item be deferred for consideration until a future date. 

None. 

RESOLVED:

That, under section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by the relevant paragraphs of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act.

Item withdrawn.