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

No such declarations were made.

To approve the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2014.

Resolved - That the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2014 be approved.

The Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment requested that Members consider the criteria for granting a Private Hire or Hackney Carriage Driver licence to an applicant who has failed to renew their licence on or before the renewal date.

The Licensing Manager outlined the report and advised that the Council must be satisfied that the applicant was a fit and proper person to hold a Driver’s Licence and that the person had been authorised to drive a motor car for at least 12 months.

The Licensing Manager gave details of the methods available to assess the fitness and propriety of an applicant and set out the requirements necessary for individuals to show that they were fit and proper to hold a Private Hire or Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence.

The Licensing Manager informed Members that drivers were required to renew their licence on or before the expiry date and that should drivers fail to do this an application must be submitted for a new licence with the necessary requirements having been met.

Members were informed that this matter had been brought before them in order that they could consider whether the following requirements should be met when a licensed driver failed to renew their licence and submitted an application for a new licence within a seven day period:

·  Satisfactory driving licence.

·  Vocationally Related Qualification or National Vocational Qualification.

·  Knowledge Test pass.

·  A valid DBS check issued within the previous three years, in accordance with the requirement for drivers who are currently licensed.

·  A medical in accordance with the requirement for drivers who are currently licensed.

Members considered that a seven day period for a new application to be submitted when drivers had failed to renew their licence would be a reasonable timeframe and would prove necessary in some circumstances, however, they expressed their concern that drivers may abuse this process.  Members considered that the fees charged to a new applicant should also be applied in these circumstances.

The Licensing Manager assured Members that any change to the process would be monitored to ensure that it was not abused.  She informed Members that drivers would be advised that if their licence had expired they would have to apply for a new licence.

Resolved – That officers be given delegated authority to ensure that the following requirements be met in respect of new applications for Private Hire and Hackney Carriage driver licences submitted within 7 days of the expiry of the previous licence and that the fees for a new applicant would be applied:

·  Satisfactory driving licence.

·  Vocationally Related Qualification or National Vocational Qualification.

·  Knowledge Test pass.

·  A valid DBS check issued within the previous three years, in accordance with the requirement for drivers who are currently licensed.

·  A medical in accordance with the requirement for drivers who are currently licensed.

The Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment reported upon the requirement to review and approve licence fees in respect of Hackney Carriage, Private Hire and Operators Licences with effect from 1 April 2014.  He reported that the fees must be reviewed on an annual basis to determine whether the income received for the previous year had been in line with the cost of delivering the service.

The Licensing Manager advised that the Council could legally charge a fee for licences that they considered reasonable with a view to recovering the costs of the issue and administration of the licence.

It was reported that the fee for a licence must be related to the cost of the licensing scheme itself and it would therefore be appropriate for a local authority to recover their administrative and other associated costs.

Members were advised that the fees for the forthcoming year must take into account the current budget which projected a small surplus of income over expenditure of £2,660 and that should there be a significant surplus or deficit then the fees should be adjusted accordingly to reflect these circumstances through a decrease or increase accordingly.

The Licensing Manager advised that the current projected balance would merit that the current fees remained unchanged.

Members noted that no representations had been made by any member of the licensing trade and that they had been made aware of this matter at the Joint Consultative Committee.

Resolved – That the licence fees in respect of Hackney Carriage, Private Hire and Operators Licences be approved with effect from 1 April 2014, as set out within the appendix attached to the report.

The Chair referred to ‘WorldHost’ training and the opportunity for taxi drivers to become ambassadors of Wirral.

He reported that training was available which was free of charge and that a newsletter would be sent to all taxi and private hire drivers informing them of this opportunity.  He advised that details would be sent to all Members and Deputies of this Committee.