Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Lauren Gregory  Email: lauren.gregory@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

14.

TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

None.

15.

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.

16.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST pdf icon PDF 721 KB

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.

17.

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.

 

18.

(WK/220002614) - 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

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

5

(WK/220002614) - Application for a Licence to Drive Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicles in North Norfolk

 

Present: Licence Applicant & Regional Director for Taxi Company.

 

The Chairman, 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 Officer introduced the application and her report to the Panel. She affirmed that as part of the application process, the Applicant was required to make disclosure of previous convictions. The Applicant subsequently disclosed one motoring offence in his application form and detailed of this were contained within Disclosure Barring Service section of the report.

 

Cllr E Spagnola asked about the circumstances surrounding the DUI. The Applicant explained that that he was in the process of grieving for his deceased Father which impaired his judgement in relation to consuming alcohol and operating a motor vehicle. He expressed strong remorse for his actions and stated the subsequent conviction is not indicative of his character since.

 

The Licensing Officer outlined that the Applicant had declared he had a DUI offence on his application form from 2018. The Applicant explained this this was a typo, and he was unsure when the offence actually occurred

 

The Licensing Officer noted that the Council were still awaiting both references for the Applicant, she stated that the report had been put together pending the references due to deadlines and it had been anticipated that these would be received prior to the meeting. The Applicant stated that one of his references have been busy with work and the other tried to send the reference to the Council but experienced technical difficulties.

 

The Chairman sought clarity if the Sub-Committee could place a condition on awarding the license for the Applicant that this be subject to the receipt of appropriate references. Thee Licensing Officer confirmed this was within the Members gift, this was supported by the Legal Advisor. The Chairman thanked both officers for their guidance and affirmed he was happy to proceed with the meeting without this administrative processed being concluded.

 

The Chairman acknowledged the difficult circumstances incurred by the Applicant and determined that it must have taken the Applicant a long time to recover from them. The Applicant advised that the drink driving incident occurred in his own time, and not whilst he was working, and that whilst he lost his position as a delivery driver, he had been retained by the same company following the loss of his license. He confirmed he had never considered drinking again following the events.

 

The Licensing Officer informed Members that the operations for the Applicants employer were being moved from Uttlesford to within the district, and the licenses of all vehicles and drivers were being transferred to North Norfolk. The nature of this business was primarily for school contracts and for transporting children who had learning difficulties or behavioural difficulties.

 

The Chairman asked the Applicant about his night time driving. The Applicant affirmed he was a competent night  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.