In the absence of the Chair it was –

Resolved – That Councillor David Burgess-Joyce 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 Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application received to license an Iveco Daily, registration number WA60 EWG, outside the current age policy for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.  The vehicle had been licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle from 29 August 2019 until 1 August 2022 when the licence expired.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 22 December 2010.  On 29 January 2021, 9 July 2021 and 11 February 2022 applications to grant a six month licence were granted by the Regulatory Panel.  If granted a licence, the vehicle would be used exclusively to transport children to and from educational establishments.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificates were available for Members.

The Fleet Manager of the proprietor of the vehicle was present at the meeting with the vehicle which Members of the Panel inspected. 

Resolved – That the application to license the Iveco Daily, registration number WA60 EWG, as a Private Hire Vehicle be granted for six months.

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application received to license a Renault Trafic, registration number LX61 DGE, outside the current age policy for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.  The vehicle had been licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle since 29 August 2019 and the current licence was due to expire on 21 August 2022.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 22 December 2010.  On 29 January 2021, 9 July 2021 and 11 February 2022 applications to grant a six month licence were granted by the Regulatory Panel.  If granted a licence, the vehicle would be used exclusively to transport children to and from educational establishments.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificates were available for Members.

The Fleet Manager of the proprietor of the vehicle was present at the meeting with the vehicle which Members of the Panel inspected. 

Resolved – That the application to license the Renault Trafic, registration number LX61 DGE, as a Private Hire Vehicle be granted for six months.

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application received to license a Vauxhall Astra, registration number BT12 YFP, outside the current age policy for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.  The vehicle had been licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle since 21 January 2016 and the current licence was due to expire on 16 August 2022.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 16 July 2012.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificates were available for Members.

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

Resolved – That the application to license the Vauxhall Astra, registration number BT12 YFP, as a Private Hire Vehicle be granted for six months.

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application received to license a Ford Tourneo, registration number AJ12 NVA, outside the current age policy for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.  The vehicle had been licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle since 22 January 2021 and the current licence was due to expire on 12 August 2022.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 13 June 2012.  If granted a licence, the vehicle would be used exclusively to transport children to and from educational establishments.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificates were available for Members.

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

Resolved – That the application to license the Ford Tourneo, registration number AJ12 NVA, as a Private Hire Vehicle be granted for six months.

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application received to license a Citroen Relay, registration number GN61 JVW, outside the current age policy for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.  The vehicle had previously been licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle from 24 November 2020 until 18 November 2021 when the licence expired.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 9 January 2012.  If granted a licence, the vehicle would be used exclusively to transport children to and from educational establishments.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificates were available for Members.

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

Resolved – That the application to license the Citroen Relay, registration number GN61 JVW, as a Private Hire Vehicle be granted for six months.

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application received to license a Toyota Prius, registration number PN61 LDJ, outside the current age policy for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.  The vehicle had been licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle since 20 October 2016 and the current licence was due to expire on 1 September 2022.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 1 September 2011.  On 13 August 2021 and 11 February 2022 applications to grant a six month licence were granted by the Regulatory Panel.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificates were available for Members.

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

Resolved – That the application to license the Toyota Prius, registration number PN61 LDJ, as a Private Hire Vehicle be granted for six months.

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application received to license a Vauxhall Meriva, registration number DG12 VBD, outside the current age policy for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.  The vehicle had been licensed as a Private Hire Vehicle since 28 February 2020 and the current licence was due to expire on 27 August 2022.  The date of first registration of the vehicle was 13 March 2012.  On 11 February 2022 an application to grant a six month licence was granted by the Regulatory Panel.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificates were available for Members.

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

Resolved – That the application to license the Vauxhall Meriva, registration number DG12 VBD, as a Private Hire Vehicle be granted for six months.

The Director of Law and Governance reported upon an application received to determine whether the Kia Sportage meets the Council’s criteria for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.

In September 2017 Members of the Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee approved criteria for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.  The criteria were set out within Appendix 1 attached to the report.

Members of the Regulatory Panel were asked to consider whether they were satisfied that the Kia Sportage complied with the Council’s criteria for licensing Private Hire Vehicles and whether it was a suitable vehicle to be licensed.  Should this be the case, Members were further asked to consider whether to license the Hybrid Electric powered Kia Sportage, registration number KP22 JVD as a Private Hire Vehicle.  The vehicle had been examined at one of the Council’s authorised testing stations and the pass certificates were available for Members.

The proprietor of the vehicle attended the meeting together with the proposed owner of the vehicle and Members of the Panel inspected the vehicle.

Resolved –

(1)   That the Kia Sportage meets the criteria for licensing Private Hire Vehicles.

(2)   That the application to license the Hybrid Electric powered Kia Sportage, registration number KP22 JVD as a Private Hire Vehicle be granted.

(3)  That a condition be attached to the licence stating that signage must be clearly displayed advising customers that a step is available for use.

The following items contain exempt information.

RECOMMENDATION: 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 Public Interest test has been applied and favours exclusion.

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 paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act.  The Public Interest Test had been applied and favoured exclusion.

The Director of Law and Governance submitted a report for Members to consider whether AW should continue to hold a Private Hire Driver Licence.

AW attended the meeting and made representations. AW responded to questions from Members of the Panel and the legal advisor to the Panel.

Members considered carefully the responses made by AW.

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

Resolved –

(1)  That  AW’s Private Hire Driver Licence be suspended with immediate effect until he completes the Taxi Driver Retraining Course.

(2)  That AW be given a written warning as to his future conduct.

The Director of Law and Governance submitted a report for Members to consider whether JJS should continue to hold a Private Hire Driver Licence.

JJS attended the meeting and made representations. JJS responded to questions from Members of the Panel and the legal advisor to the Panel.

Members considered carefully the responses made by JJS.

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

Resolved (4:1 Councillor M Booth dissenting) –

(1)  That JJS be allowed to continue to hold a Private Hire Driver Licence subject to the successful completion of a Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving (Taxi and Private Hire) which must be commenced no later than September 2022.

(2)  That should JJS fail to comply with the above resolution, he be referred back to the Regulatory Panel.

(3)  That JJS be given a written warning as to his future conduct.