Resolved – That;

In the absence of the Chair, Councillor Stuart be appointed Chair for this meeting.

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 Corporate Director for Business Management reported upon an application to renew a Private Hire Vehicle Licence for a Mercedes E250, registration number N8 STN, and to amend the conditions to permit the vehicle to be exempt from displaying Private Hire Vehicle Licence plates and to exempt the driver from wearing his Private Hire Driver Badge.

On 18 July 2018 the Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee resolved that the procedure for licensing non-standard Private Hire Vehicles be amended.  This amendment was to replace the Special Event Private Hire Vehicle Licence conditions with the standard Private Hire Vehicle criteria and conditions and that any applicant seeking to operate outside these criteria and conditions be referred to the Licensing Panel so that each case could be considered on its own individual merits. 

The applicant was present at the meeting and was questioned by the Panel.  He appraised Members of his business plan.

Members considered the representations made.

Resolved –

(1)  That the proprietor of the vehicle be issued with a notice providing an exemption from the requirement to display Private Hire Vehicle Licence plates on the vehicle and to exempt the driver of the vehicle from the requirement to wear a Private Hire Driver Badge.  This is to be carried in the vehicle at all times.

(2)  That the vehicle may only be used in circumstances where confirmation of the booking is made to the customer which includes the following:

·  Bookings must be made 24 hours in advance;

·  The applicant text/e-mail his customers including a picture of the driver of the vehicle together with details of the name of the driver, badge number and registration number of the vehicle.

(3)  That the vehicle may only undertake work through an invoicing system or if it is paid for by credit card.

The Corporate Director for Business Management reported upon an application to amend the conditions for a Mercedes E220, registration number 5261 SR, to permit the vehicle to be exempt from displaying Private Hire Vehicle Licence plates and to exempt the driver from wearing his Private Hire Driver Badge.

On 18 July 2018 the Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee resolved that the procedure for licensing non-standard Private Hire Vehicles be amended.  This amendment was to replace the Special Event Private Hire Vehicle Licence conditions with the standard Private Hire Vehicle criteria and conditions and that any applicant seeking to operate outside these criteria and conditions be referred to the Licensing Panel so that each case could be considered on its own individual merits. 

The applicant was present at the meeting and was questioned by the Panel.  He advised Members regarding his operating model, for the business.

Resolved –

(1)  That the proprietor of the vehicle be issued with a notice providing an exemption from the requirement to display Private Hire Vehicle Licence plates on the vehicle and to exempt the driver of the vehicle from the requirement to wear a Private Hire Driver Badge.  This is to be carried in the vehicle at all times.

(2)  That the vehicle may only be used in circumstances where confirmation of the booking is made to the customer which includes the following:

·  Bookings must be made 24 hours in advance;

·  The applicant text/e-mail his customers including a picture of the driver of the vehicle together with details of the name of the driver, badge number and registration number of the vehicle.

(3)  That the vehicle may only undertake work through an invoicing system or if it is paid for by credit card.

The Corporate Director for Business Management reported upon an application to re-license a Vauxhall Vectra, registration number SB58 LDL, beyond the normal over-age date of a licensed private hire vehicle.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 20 January 2009.  It had been licensed as a private hire vehicle since 4 May 2017 and the current licence was due to expire on 20 January 2019, however it had been extended to the date of the meeting.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificate was available for Members. 

The owner of the vehicle was present at the meeting with his vehicle, which Members of the Panel inspected.

Resolved -  That the application to license a Vauxhall Vectra, registration number SB58 LDL, be granted for a further six months.

The Corporate Director for Business Management reported upon an application received to re-license a Toyota Prius, registration number SD58 CPN, beyond the normal over-age date for a licensed Private Hire Vehicle.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 30 September 2008.  It had been licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle since 21 August 2013 and the current licence was due to expire on 20 February 2019.

The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificate was available for Members.

The owner of the vehicle was present at the meeting with his vehicle, which Members of the Panel inspected.

Resolved - That the application to re-license a Toyota Prius, registration number SD58 CPN, be granted for a further six months.

The Corporate Director for Business Management reported upon an application to re-licence a Volvo S40, registration number PE09 VUO, beyond the normal over-age date of a licensed private hire vehicle.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 18 March 2009, therefore the vehicle would be ten years old on 18 March 2019.  It had previously been licensed as a private hire vehicle from 25 October 2017 to 24 April 2018, when the applicant did not renew the Private Hire Vehicle Licence.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificate was available for Members.

The owner of the vehicle was present at the meeting with his vehicle which Members of the Panel inspected.

Resolved - That the application to re-license the Volvo S40 as a Private Hire Vehicle be approved for six months subject to the advisories on the MOT being carried out before the licence is issued.

The Corporate Director for Business Management reported upon an application received to licence a Ford Tourneo Grand Connect, registration number WN15 HOH, to carry six passengers.

The applicant did not attend the meeting.

Resolved – That the applicant be invited to attend the next meeting of the Licensing Panel, together with his vehicle, should he wish to pursue his application.

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.

The Corporate Director for Business Management reported upon an application received by Mr NRJ for the grant of a Private Hire Driver Licence.  Mr NRJ attended the meeting and made representations in respect of his application. 

Members considered the representations made by Mr NRJ regarding his convictions.

Members gave due consideration to the representations made and exercised their right to consider each case on its individual merits in light of the representations made.

Resolved – That Mr NRJ’s application for the grant of a Private Hire Driver Licence be approved.

The Corporate Director for Business Management submitted a report for Members to consider whether Mr JDP should be granted a Private Hire Driver Licence.

Mr JDP did not attend the meeting.

Resolved – That Mr JDP be invited to attend the next meeting of the Licensing Panel should he wish to pursue his application. 

The Corporate Director for Business Management submitted a report for Members to consider whether Mr RLW should be granted a Private Hire Driver Licence.  Mr RLW attended the meeting, made representations and answered questions from Members in respect of his application.

Members considered the representations made by Mr RLW regarding his convictions.

Members gave due consideration to Mr RLW’s representations, considered at length and exercised their rights to consider each case on its individual merits in light of the representations made.

Resolved - That Mr RLW be granted a Private Hire Driver Licence.