Agenda item

The Senior Licensing Enforcement Officer outlined the circumstances as set out in the report. The Licence Applicant explained that he had brought the owner of the Private Hire Firm he was employed by to support him.

The Licence Applicant explained that he received four speeding convictions in the space of 2 weeks in July 2018 and was not recorded having exceeded 39 miles per hour in all cases. The Applicant’s Supporter explained that the Applicant had not kept records of everything received from the court and that upon having received 12 points had to attend the Magistrates’ Court and was banned from driving for a period of six months.

In response to questions from Members, the Applicant explained that he did not drive a vehicle for the six month period between 10^th July 2018 and 10^th January 2019. He had spent part of this six month period abroad due to a bereavement.

Members stated that the Applicant should not have proceeded to pick up a couple who were ill and should have instead called the Emergency Services. The Applicant’s Supporter also advised against taking such action as it may risk invalidating his insurance. Members further commented that any drivers who receive penalty points or speeding convictions must report them to the Council. To not report these to the Council, could result in the revoking of his licence.

Responding to a question from the Chair, the Applicant explained that there were no passengers in the car at the times of the speeding convictions.

The Solicitor explained to Members their options and the relevant test to be applied; whether the Applicant is deemed to be a “fit and proper person” to be granted a licence as a Private Hire Driver and the relevant provisions of the Council’s policy on convictions.

Members retired at 18:50 to make a decision.

The meeting reconvened at 19:05.

RESOLVED:

The Committee has carefully considered the written report together with the officer’s verbal report at the meeting.  They have also listened carefully to the explanation given by the Applicant in relation to the offences and the comments made by his Supporter, including in relation to the requirements in the licence conditions.

Although the Committee consider speeding offences to be serious they note that these were committed in a short period of time and that, save for the plying for hire issue, he had a clean record. They also noted that there were no passengers in the vehicle at the time and that no harm or injury was caused. 

Taking account of all matters together, the Committee considers that the Applicant is fit and proper person to be licensed.

Accordingly, the Committee GRANT the Applicant’s application for a private hire driver’s licence.

The Committee do however, wish to warn him that he should be careful in relation to his future conduct and that the standards expected of a licensed private hire driver are high and he should drive with the utmost care.  They also suggested that he took advantage of the assistance being offered by his Supporter in relation to those standards and reads the conditions of the licence.