Issue - meetings

Application for a Private Hire / Hackney Carriage (Joint) Driver Licence

Meeting: 19/12/2019 - Licensing Sub-Committee (Item 3)

Application for a Private Hire / Hackney Carriage (Joint) Driver Licence

For Members to consider and determine an application for a Private Hire / Hackney Carriage (Joint) Driver Licence

Additional documents:

Decision:

(a)       That the applicant was a fit and proper person to hold a Private        Hire/Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence under the Local Government   (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and was granted a 12 month             licence for a probationary period of 6 months; and

 

(b)      That at the end of the 12 month Licence, in the event the applicant made   a new             application for a Private Hire/Hackney Carriage (Joint) Driver’s         Licence, the costs associated with the application including any criminal            records and   other vetting checks would be at her own expense.

Minutes:

The Licensing Team Leader presented the report to consider an application for a Private Hire/Hackney Carriage (Joint) Driver Licence, licensed by the Authority. 

 

The Licensing Team Leader explained that the application had asked for details of any previous convictions and the applicant had disclosed a past conviction.   However, on receipt of the applicant’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced criminal records disclosure three convictions from 1999 and 2004, with eight separate offences were shown. Full details of the applicant’s offences were shown in Appendix B of the report.   

 

The Licensing Team Leader said the applicant was asked to provide a written explanation of her convictions and her failure to disclose all of them when requested to do so on the form.  The  explanation was appended to the report.    Due to the nature  of the convictions, particularly in relation to the instances of common assault and instances of assault on a Police Officer,  the applicant was invited to appear before the Licensing Sub Committee to determine whether she was a fit and proper person to hold a Joint Driver’s Licence. 

 

The Chairman invited  the applicant to give a full explanation of her previous convictions, as detailed on the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal records disclosure.  He asked her to give details of her personal circumstances, and family and employment history.    The Chairman referred  to the allegation the applicant had made against other persons in 2004 and asked her to give a full account of her actions at that time and the reasons why she had made the allegation.  He also asked her to explain why she had not taken reported such a matter of serious concern to the Police or other authority for investigation.   The applicant said she deeply regretted her behaviour and referred to her written explanation which was appended to the report.  She said she regretted not reporting the allegation at the time and had acted on information given to her by a trusted third party and had decided to take “matters into her own hands” instead. 

 

The Chairman asked the applicant to explain her current situation regarding her family, domestic arrangements, and employment aspirations.    The applicant said she had a stable family life and held responsibilities as a main carer.  She also undertook voluntary work at a playscheme and charitable work in her spare time.  She wished to seek employment as a private hire/hackney carriage driver to supplement the household income and enable her to work flexible hours around her family’s needs.  She reiterated that she deeply regretted her actions in her youth and explained this had been due to a “troubled” upbringing.  

 

The Chairman invited members of the Panel to question the applicant.  The Panel sought further information from the applicant concerning the circumstances which had given rise to her convictions and the two offences of assault on a Police Officer.  The Panel also questioned the applicant about her background and failure to report the allegation against other persons to the appropriate authorities.

 

The Solicitor questioned  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3