Agenda and minutes

The Chief Executive to notify the Committee of any substitute members.

None.

None.

Members are asked to declare an interest in matters for consideration at the meeting.

The Corporate Manager Democratic and Legal Services was asked to clarify what constituted a need to declare an interest.  Mr Goddard replied that it was a matter for the member to decide as to whether they knew an applicant sufficiently to require an interest to be declared.  The test of interest was explained in relation to the Member Code of Conduct.  The member concerned did not consider they would need to declare an interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 4th November were confirmed as a correct record of the decisions taken.

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

In accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, it was resolved that the public be excluded from the meeting because of the likelihood, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if member so the public were present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 12 of Part 1 of the Schedule 12A of the Act.

With the public excluded, the following item was considered:-

Report ENV243 from the Head of Environmental Health and Licensing.

(Enclosure)

Decision:-

That the application for a Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence ref 0156 be granted for a probationary period of six months subject to the applicant passing the relevant tests and submitting a satisfactory medical certificate.

Report ENV243 had been circulated to members and detailed the application for a Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence.  Previously the applicant had held a Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence which had been issued originally for a probationary period in October 2000 and extended in April 2001 for the full three-year period.  Following notification by the Police in May 2002 of an offence the Council’s Licensing Panel suspended the licence in June 2002.

In August 2003 the applicant asked to apply for another Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence and was informed that due to the convictions the application would need to be put before the Licensing Panel for determination and this was reiterated again following a telephone call received from the applicant in November 2004 asking to apply for a Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence.

Due to the convictions revealed on the application form the application was before the Licensing Committee for determination.  If the Committee were minded to grant a licence it was recommended that a probationary licence be granted for six months subject to the applicant passing the necessary tests and submitting a satisfactory medical certificate.

The applicant attended the meeting together with his solicitor.   The solicitor informed the Committee that his client had been going through a traumatic time at the time of the convictions and it was over three years since the commission of his last offence and that he had learnt a salutary lesson.

The Committee asked various questions of the applicant concerning the convictions to which he replied.

The applicant, his solicitor and the Environmental Health Manager left the meeting.

Members discussed the report and the information they had received from the solicitor and applicant, it was proposed, seconded and agreed that a probationary licence be issued for a period of six months subject to the applicant passing the relevant tests and the submission of a satisfactory medical certificate. 

The applicant, his solicitor and the Environmental Health Manager returned to the meeting and were advised of the decision as noted above.

None.

The meeting closed at 10.00am.