Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

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 any of the items for discussion on the meetings agenda.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the General Licensing Sub-Committee held on 4 February 2009 (enclosed).

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the General Licensing Sub-Committee held on 4 February 2009 be accepted as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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 Paragraph1 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.

To receive and consider the enclosed report of the Director of Corporate Governance, with appendices.

The procedure for licensing hearings is also attached.

The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Director of Corporate Governance seeking instructions on an application from Mr A.I.P. for a licence to drive hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.

The Council’s adopted policy states that applicants for a hackney carriage/private hire vehicle driver’s licence should have at least 3 years driving experience as the holder of a full driving licence.  The applicant held a full UK driving licence since 7 April 2007 and an international driving permit since 14 February 2006.  Consequently, under normal circumstances, the applicant would not qualify for a driver’s licence.

Mr A.I.P. had made a previous application for a licence to drive a hackney carriage/private hire vehicle.  The applicant appeared before the General Licensing Sub-Committee on 7 January 2009 when his relevant conviction and driving experience were considered by Committee. 

On the 7 January the Committee resolved unanimously not to grant a hackney carriage/private hire drivers licence to Mr Patel but advised him to undertake a recognised BTEC training course in passenger vehicle driving at a local college and to submit a further application for a hackney carriage/private hire driver’s licence upon successful completion of the course.

MR A.I.P. attended the meeting, to advise the Committee that he had successfully completed a passenger vehicle driving course at Runshaw College, Leyland on 29 January 2009.

The Sub-Committee considered all aspects of the application, including the applicant’s representations; the applicant’s age and driving experience (particularly in the UK); and the relevance of the caution.

The Sub-Committee acknowledged the determination Mr Patel had shown in completing the BTEC training course in passenger vehicle driver’s licence, and consequently RESOLVED unanimously to grant a hackney carriage/private hire vehicle driver’s licence.