Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Judith Boothman and Keith Iddon.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda. If the interest arises only as result of your membership of another public body or one to which you have been appointed by the Council then you only need to declare it if you intend to speak.

If the personal interest is a prejudicial interest, you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

None of the Sub-Committee members declared an interest in the principal item for discussion on the meeting’s agenda.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the General Licensing Sub Committee held on 6^th August 2008(enclosed)  

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the General Licensing Sub-Committee held on 6 August 2008 were received as a correct record.

To consider the exclusion of the press and public for the following item of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Report of Corporate Director (Governance) (enclosed)

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director of Governance seeking the Sub-Committee’s instructions on any action deemed appropriate in respect of the private hire driver’s licence held by the person identified in the submitted report.

The report drew attention to three serious offences for which the driver had been convicted on 23 July 2008 at South Ribble Magistrates’ Courtand, additionally to the fact that the driver had failed to notify the Council of his change of address within 7 days, as required by the conditions attached to his private hire driver’s licence number 9.

The driver did not appear before the Sub-Committee to make representations and answer questions from the Members.  The Sub-Committee was, however, satisfied that reasonable steps had been taken by the Licensing Section to inform the driver of the current hearing.

(At this point, the Licensing Manager left the meeting room.)

In the driver’s absence, the Sub-Committee considered the most expedient action to be taken, after taking account of all the relevant factors and implications.

RESOLVED – That, in the light of the seriousness of the convicted offences involving dishonesty, the apparent disregard for the licensing regulations and the implications of his behaviour, the private hire driver’s licence number 9 held by the driver identified in the submitted report be revoked.

(The driver was informed of the Sub-Committee’s decision by letter on 5 September 2008, together with his right of appeal to the Magistrates Court within 21 days.)