Licensing Sub-Committee - Tuesday, 26th July, 2016 10.00 am - Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chairman for the 2016/17 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED: That Cllr Jacqui Vosper be appointed Chairman of the Licensing Sub-Committee for the 2016/17 Municipal Year.

To consider resolving:

That, subject to the public interest test, the public be excluded from this meeting during the discussion of the undermentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraphs of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against such item:

Item                Schedule      Categories

No.                  12A Para.

                        Nos.

3                      1 and 3           Information relating to any individual or the                               financial or business affairs of any particular                                     person (including the Authority holding that                                                      information)

RESOLVED:            That, taking into account the public interest test, the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the under mentioned item to avoid the disclosure of exempt information within the paragraphs of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 indicated against the item:

Minute           Schedule 12A          Categories

No.                  Para. Nos.

3                      1 and 3                     Information relating to any individuals, or the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

To consider the Head of Environmental Health and Housing’s Exempt Report No. EHH_LICSUB1621 (copy attached) in respect of a determination of an application for a private hire driver’s licence.

The Sub-Committee considered the Head of Environmental Health and Housing’s Report No. EHH_LICSUB1621, which set out details of an application for a private hire driver’s licence.

The applicant, who was accompanied by a representative, confirmed that he had received all relevant paperwork.

Firstly, the Sub-Committee held a preliminary hearing to decide whether any of the applicant’s driving convictions were relevant.  The Licensing Officer outlined the applicant’s convictions and the reasons why they might be deemed to be relevant. The Licensing Officer contended that the number of convictions demonstrated repeated behaviour and that Rushmoor’s Taxi Licensing Policy stated that driver proficiency was important.

The applicant briefly outlined the details of his convictions. He stated that he had not thought that his driving record over the previous nine years would be taken into account and had thought that only the previous 3-4 years would be considered to be relevant. The applicant considered that he had, now, learned his lesson and that this had been demonstrated by receiving only one speeding conviction over the previous four years. He also pointed out that only one of the offences occurred at a time when he was carrying a passenger.

The Sub-Committee withdrew to consider whether the convictions should be considered to be relevant.  Once the Sub-Committee had made its decision, the meeting was reconvened and the applicant was informed that all convictions were deemed relevant and would be taken into account.

The Sub-Committee then moved on to determine whether the application for a private hire driver’s licence should be granted and the outcome of this section of the meeting was set out in the decision notice annexed to these minutes.