Agenda and minutes

Taxi Licensing Committee - Thursday 25 October 2018 10.00 am

Venue: Council House, Plymouth

Contact: Helen Rickman/ Jamie Sheldon  Email: helen.rickman@plymouth.gov.uk/ Email: jamie.sheldon@plymouth.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

59.

Declarations of Interest

Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest in accordance with the code of conduct.

60.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 78 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 30 August 2018.

Minutes:

Members agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 30 August 2018.

61.

Chair's Urgent Business

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

Minutes:

The following two items were discussed by Members:

 

(a)

the Chair advised Members of his preference of changing the 20 December 2018 Taxi Licensing Committee meeting to Thursday 13 December 2018 at 10am in order to allow the minutes of the meeting to be published prior to the Christmas break; this was agreed by Members;

 

(b)

the Chair advised Members that he had received a letter from a taxi driver raising concerns that, in his opinion,  several taxi drivers were underinsured as they didn’t have public liability insurance for their vehicle. Members highlighted their concerns and encouraged officers to investigate this issue as a priority. Steve Forshaw (Senior Enforcement Officer) confirmed that checks were made to taxi drivers’ insurance details on a regular basis.

 

 

62.

Appeal Cases

The Committee will be provided with the results of the judgement on appeal cases that went to Court.

Minutes:

Members were updated on 3 appeal cases that were due to go to court in November 2018.

63.

Exempt Information

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it (they) involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Minutes:

Agreed that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

64.

Confidential Minutes

To confirm the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 30 August 2018.

Minutes:

Members agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 30 August 2018.

65.

Application for the Grant of a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence - MGG

The Director of Public Health will submit a report on the Application for the Grant of a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence.

Minutes:

The Committee –

 

(a)

considered and took into account the report from the Director of Public Health;

 

(b)

heard from MGG;

 

(c)

took into account that MGG had passed all the necessary pre-requisites;

 

(d)

took all of the above and the report into consideration and also considered the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2018;

 

(e)

considered the application on its own merits;

 

(f)

considered that the cumulative impact of the range of offences when taken together and the period within which they occurred amount to a pattern of inappropriate driving that gives cause for concern as to the safety of the public.

 

The Committee refused the application having regard to its overriding duty of protection of the public. It was not satisfied that the applicant was safe and suitable and therefore fit and proper to hold a licence.

 

The Committee indicated to MGG that it would be happy to consider any further application submitted once he had achieved a period of at least 12 months driving on the UK’s and Plymouth’s roads without committing any further road traffic offences.

66.

Application for the Grant of a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence - AWS

The Director of Public Health will submit a report on the Application for the Grant of a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence.

Minutes:

The Committee –

 

(a)

considered the report from the Director of Public Health;

 

(b)

heard from AWS;

 

(c)

took the report and all that was said by AWS into account;

 

(d)

took account of the following:

 

 

·          

it noted he held a UK driving licence free of any endorsements and that he had passed all pre requisites to obtain a private hire driver’s licence

 

 

·          

it was impressed by how polite and smart he was and how clearly he understood the role and responsibilities of a licensed private hire driver

 

The Committee took all of the above and the report into consideration and also considered the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. The Committee has considered the application on its own merits. It was satisfied that AWS is a fit and proper person to hold a Private Hire Driver’s Licence.  It therefore granted the application subject to satisfactory completion within 12 months of:

 

1.

NVQ/VRQ or equivalent qualification in “ Transporting Passengers by Taxi and Private Hire” AND;

 

2.

the Plymouth Ambassador course.