Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - Wallasey Town Hall

Contact: Anne Beauchamp  Committee Officer

Items
No. Item

5.

MEMBERS' CODE OF CONDUCT - DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members of the Committee 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.

Minutes:

Members of the Committee 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.

6.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 70 KB

To approve the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2017.

Minutes:

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2017 be approved.

7.

HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE POLICY FOR CURRENT LICENCE HOLDERS pdf icon PDF 90 KB

Minutes:

The Managing Director for Delivery sought Members’ approval of a policy in relation to the criteria applicable when considering whether a licensed driver remains a fit and proper person when the licence holder has failed to maintain the standards expected of a licence holder or committed offences.

 

The Licensing Manager reported that there was currently no policy in force in respect of the above and in the absence of a policy relating to this, the revised Statement of Policy and Guidelines relating to the Relevance of Convictions for new applicants was currently referred to by officers and Members of the Licensing Panel.

 

A consultation exercise with other authorities across Merseyside had taken place with a view to developing a more consistent approach in relation to how local authorities dealt with licence holders who had committed an offence or acted in such a manner that gives a cause for concern in respect of their fitness and propriety to hold a licence.

 

It was reported that the policy had been developed to provide guidance to licence holders in respect of the standards of conduct that would be expected of them as licence holders and to set out the action that may be taken should a licence holder commit an offence whilst holding a licence, fail to maintain the standards expected of a licence holder, or undertake any actions that may raise doubt regarding the fitness and propriety of a current licence holder.

 

The draft policy relating to the conduct of Private Hire and Hackney Carriage licence holders had been provided to Members prior to the meeting.

 

On a motion by Councillor D Mitchell and seconded by Councillor R Abbey, it was -

 

Resolved – That the policy be adopted with immediate effect as the policy to be used when determining the fitness and propriety of a licence holder as to whether they remained a fit and proper person when the licence holder has failed to maintain the standards expected of a licence holder or committed offences.

Policy for current licence holders pdf icon PDF 158 KB

8.

PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER LICENCE CONDITIONS pdf icon PDF 86 KB

Minutes:

The Managing Director for Delivery sought Members’ approval in respect of Private Hire Driver Licence Conditions.

 

The Licensing Manager reported that the current Private Hire Driver Licence conditions were limited and did not wholly set out the standard of conduct to be maintained by Private Hire Drivers.  She advised that the conditions had been reviewed by officers and subsequently clear conditions had been set out that were considered necessary and appropriate for Private Hire Drivers to maintain.

 

The draft Private Hire Driver Licence Conditions had been provided to Members prior to the meeting.

 

On a motion by Councillor D Mitchell and seconded by Councillor R Abbey, it was –

 

Resolved – That the Private Hire Driver Licence Conditions be approved.

Private Hire Driver Licence Conditions pdf icon PDF 148 KB

9.

PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE CRITERIA AND LICENCE CONDITIONS pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Minutes:

The Managing Director for Delivery sought Members’ approval in respect of revised Private Hire Vehicle Criteria and Licence Conditions.

 

The Licensing Manager reported that the criteria and conditions had been reviewed in consultation with other authorities across Merseyside with a view to developing a more consistent approach.  Consultation had also taken place at meetings of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Joint Consultative Committee aswell as at meetings of Representatives of Private Hire Operators.

 

Members had been provided with the draft Private Hire Vehicle Licence Criteria and draft Private Hire Vehicle Licence Conditions prior to the meeting.  The Licensing Manager advised that should these be approved it would be necessary to update the Private Hire Vehicle Compliance Testing Document to reflect these changes and Members were asked that this be delegated to officers.

 

On a motion by Councillor D Mitchell and seconded by Councillor R Abbey, it was –

 

Resolved –

 

(1)  That the revised Criteria and Licence Conditions for Private Hire Vehicles be approved.

 

(2)  That delegated authority be given to officers to amend the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Compliance Testing Document to reflect the changes in the Criteria and Licence Conditions for Private Hire Vehicles.

Private Hire Vehicle Criteria and Conditions pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Additional documents:

10.

MINOR REVISIONS TO PRIVATE HIRE AND HACKNEY CARRIAGE CRITERIA, CONDITIONS AND POLICIES pdf icon PDF 96 KB

Minutes:

The Managing Director for Delivery sought Members’ approval in respect of minor revisions to the following documents:  Hackney Carriage Vehicle Criteria; Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence Conditions; Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Inspection Policy and the Statement of Policy and Guidelines relating to the Relevance of Convictions when considering applications for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver licences.

 

The Licensing Manager reported that further to the development of a policy to apply to the conduct of current drivers and following reviews of other documents, this had identified that minor amendments were required. 

 

The Licensing Manager outlined the proposed minor amendments and advised that following amendments to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Conditions it had been necessary to update the Vehicle Inspection Policy.  Members were advised that this policy was used by officers to undertake appropriate action should it be identified that there was a breach of the conditions.  The implementation of this policy was also to achieve consistency in the action taken by officers.

 

The revised documents had been provided to Members prior to the meeting.

 

The Licensing Manager referred to the condition in respect of tinted windows and advised Members that although new licences must comply with this condition, this would not apply to vehicles that were currently licensed.

 

On a motion by Councillor R Abbey and seconded by Councillor P Stuart it was –

 

Resolved – That the proposed revisions submitted in respect of the following documents be approved:

 

Hackney Carriage Vehicle Criteria;

Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence Conditions;

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Inspection Policy; and

Statement of Policy and Guidelines relating to the Relevance of Convictions when considering applications for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver licences

Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence Criteria and Conditions pdf icon PDF 119 KB

Additional documents:

Vehicle Inspection Policy pdf icon PDF 125 KB

Statement of Policy and Guidelines relating to the Relevance of Convictions when considering applications for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver licences pdf icon PDF 267 KB

11.

REGULATION OF STREET TRADING pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Managing Director for Delivery requested that Members consider the regulation of street trading in New Brighton and the adjoining coastal thoroughfares.

 

The Licensing Manager advised Members that the designation of streets as Licence Streets would provide the Council with a more effective control of street trading within the area of New Brighton.

 

The Licensing Manager provided background information in respect of the regulation of street trading and advised that should Members resolve to propose such a resolution, this intention would be published in a local newspaper and notice would be given to the Chief Officer of Police and following a 28 day period of consultation and comments received would be reported back to this Committee.

 

On a motion by Councillor R Abbey and seconded by Councillor A Hodson it was –

 

Resolved –

 

(1)  That it be proposed that the identified streets in New Brighton and the adjoining coastal thoroughfares be re-designated, in accordance with the details set out on the map attached as Appendix 2 of the report.

 

(2)  That this intention be published in a local newspaper, that notice be given to the Chief Officer of Police and following a 28 day period of consultation that any comments received be reported back to this Committee.