Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Customer and Digital.

The Director of Customer and Digital submitted a report for the General Licensing Sub-Committee to determine whether the applicants were fit and proper persons to hold a Private Hire Operator licence.

One of the applicants was present at the Sub-Committee alongside his colleague. The second applicant was not present.

Members noted the history of the premises, that a private hire operator’s licence had been held by a number of different proprietors at this premises for many years, with licensing records going back to 2000.

A licence was granted on 23 September 2013 which was due to expire on 22 September 2014 but, prior to its expiry, was surrendered. On the same day of its surrender a new private hire operator’s licence was granted to which was due to expire on 16 July 2018. Again, prior to its expiry, on 27 June 2018 the licence was surrendered. On the same day as the surrender, a new private hire operator’s licence was granted to. This licence was due to expire on 27June 2023.

On 19 June 2019, the General Licensing Sub Committee reviewed this licence and determined to revoke the licence as they decided the licence holder were no longer fit and proper persons to hold the licence. The appeal against this decision is due before the Magistrates’ Court on 11 November 2019.

Members heard that on 3 July 2019, an individual named on the revoked licence attended the Council offices and made an application for a Private Hire Operator’s Licence with the two applicants for today’s hearing named as the proprietors of the licence. Officers made a request for further information in relation to this application on 30 July 2019 and again on 3 September 2019 after a lack of response.  The requested information was then provided by the applicant on 16 September 2019, and the Licensing Officer highlighted that the signature did not appear to match the one on the licence application.

On 26 September 2019, officers arranged to interview the two applicants at the Council Offices regarding their application. The Licensing Officer highlighted that at this interview the applicant present today admitted that the individual named on the revoked licence had completed the application form on his behalf and that that individual would provide help as he was an experienced operator and knew the business well. The applicant confirmed that he and the other applicant had paid a deposit for the takeover of the business and that the final amount would be paid if the licence application was successful.

In response to Members’ questions, the Licensing Officer stated that this application had been brought to the Sub-Committee owing to the relationship between this business and the previous business where the Private Hire Operator’s Licence had been revoked. He advised that the appeal against that revocation had no bearing on today’s decision.

The applicant queried whether the Council held any complaints, reports or negative information on him as a taxi driver from the past 35 years for which he’d held  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32