Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Linda Yarham  Email: linda.yarham@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Councillor H Blathwayt chaired the meeting in place of Councillor P Bütikofer, who was unable to attend.

2.

ITEMS OF URGENT BUSINESS

To determine any other items of business which the Chairman decides should be considered as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

None.

3.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests that they may have in any of the following items on the agenda.  The Code of Conduct for Members requires that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Minutes:

None.

4.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

To pass the following resolution:

 

“That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.”

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.

 

5.

(WK/210008727) - Application for a Licence to Drive Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicles in North Norfolk

Summary:

This report relates to an application for a taxi drivers licence where a Disclosure and Barring Service Report has been received which merits further consideration.

Conclusions:

Members may wish to go into Private session to hear fully from the applicant and consider this matter in confidence. 

Recommendations:

That Members consider and determine this application.

 

 

Chairman of the Licensing Committee

Councillor P Bütikofer

All

Contact Officer, telephone number, and e?mail:

 

Lara Clare

lara.clare@north-norfolk.gov.uk

01263 516252

 

Minutes:

Present: Applicant

 

The Members of the Panel and Officers introduced themselves.

 

The Legal Advisor outlined the purpose of the hearing and explained the procedure for the meeting. 

 

The Licensing Enforcement Officer presented the report, which related to an application for a licence to drive Hackney Carriage or Private Hire vehicles where there were matters on the Applicant’s DBS check that required consideration.

 

The Applicant explained that he had not included his conviction on his application form as the offence had been taken into account when his previous NNDC taxi licence had been granted and he had received no further convictions since then.  He apologised for his mistake.  He gave details of the speeding offences he had declared on the form.

 

At the request of the Legal Advisor, the Licensing Enforcement Officer confirmed that the Applicant’s previous licence had been granted after the date of his conviction.

 

The Chairman asked if there had been any complaints about the Applicant or other issues on record during the period when he had previously held a licence.

 

The Licensing Enforcement Officer stated that she would need to check and that this case had been dealt with as a new driver application.  She confirmed that the Applicant had previously appeared before the Sub-Committee.

 

In response to questions from the Legal Advisor and the Chairman, the Licensing Enforcement Officer provided clarification in respect of the Applicant’s referees and his prospective employer.

 

The Applicant declined the Chairman’s invitation to present his case as he had nothing further to say.

 

The Sub-Committee questioned the Applicant.

 

The Applicant confirmed that he had no further convictions since the one considered at the time his previous licence had been granted, and explained the circumstances that had led to his conviction.  He provided further clarification in respect of his references.  He explained that he had stopped taxi driving due to personal circumstances.  He had done other work in the meantime but found nothing to his liking and was looking forward to getting back to taxi work.

 

The Legal Advisor referred to the Taxi Licensing Policy and the requirement to consider each application on its merits.  She advised that the Sub-Committee should have regard to the nature, seriousness, date and relevance of the offence and that conditional discharges were given for the least serious offences.  She advised the Sub-Committee to have regard to public safety and the test as to whether or not they would be happy to allow a person they cared for to get into a taxi with the Applicant.

 

The Sub-Committee retired at 10.24 am and returned at 10.45 am.

 

The Legal Advisor explained that the Licensing Enforcement Officer had now provided the Sub-Committee with information relating to the Applicant’s previous history. 

 

The Chairman stated that in the light of the further information provided it was necessary to reconvene the meeting.

 

The Sub-Committee questioned the Applicant and Licensing Enforcement Officer in respect of complaints that had been received from a member of the public against the Applicant.  It was noted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.