Agenda item

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.

Contact Officer, telephone number, and e?mail:

Lara Clare

Lara.clare@north-norfolk.gov.uk

01263 516252

13

(WK/220001399) - 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 presented the report which related to an application for a ‘Licence to Drive Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicles in North Norfolk’. A Disclosure Barring Service report had subsequently been received in respect of the applicant, which contained details about the applicant which merited further consideration.

The Chairman invited the Applicant to speak. The Applicant noted that the incident took place 30 years prior when he and his wife had accommodated a family from the Netherlands for what was intended to be a short period of time. They had stayed with him for a few months during which time the Applicant and his wife covered the majority of costs, and whilst there was some monetary recommence this was not for the costs of lodging. He advised that he had paid for the couple to marry and that they had owed him money when they re-located abroad. The applicant advised he had been left with their signed child benefit as recompense but that that this was not used by the applicant. He was subsequently contacted by the DWP about the matter and was issued with a summons and fine.

Cllr P Fisher asked if there had been any further contact or problems. The Applicant affirmed that he had not spoken with the couple since the left the country. He noted that he worked in the Navy and had subsequently never been out of work, and that in his 50 years of driving he had never had an accident.

Cllr G Perry-Warnes asked if the Applicant had been a Taxi driver before. The Applicant confirmed he was currently a taxi driver in another district. The Regional Manager for the firm was invited to speak, and advised that the company was relocating all its licensable activities to North Norfolk. He confirm that the Applicant had successfully served as a taxi driver for vulnerable and special needs school children for 3 years, and that he had full confidence in the Applicant. He advised that the children had built a rapport with the Applicant and would be devastated if he were unable to continue to drive them.

The Chairman enquired how the DWP knew of the book. The Applicant commented that he was unsure, and perhaps the couple did not go abroad as intended and had applied for another copy of the child benefit book.

The Chairman sought confirmation whether the Applicant knew that this would be illegal. The Applicant advised he was unaware that it was fraudulent activity. He did not intend for monetary gain, only to re-coup fees as had been agreed upon.

The Sub-Committee retired at 2.20pm and returned at 2.35pm.

The Chairman read out the decision to the applicant and explained that the Panel had taken into account the Licensing Officer report, the Council’s licensing policy, the ‘fit and proper persons test’ as well as the written and oral evidence put forward at the hearing. She affirmed that the Sub-Committee thank the Applicant for their attendance and his submissions and that the Sub-Committee considered the Applicant to have presented himself well during the hearing. The Sub-Committee consider the Applicant to have paid the price for his convictions and consider the applicant to be a fit and proper person to have a combined driver’s license.

RESOLVED

That the licence be GRANTED.