The officers consider that the following item or items contains exempt information as provided for in the Local Government Access to Information Act and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. The Committee is recommended to agree the necessary resolutions excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of these items. At the time this agenda is published no representations have been that this part of the meeting should be open to the public.

A recommendation was made that the public be excluded during consideration of the following items of business.

Decision

To exclude the public during consideration of the following items which involved consideration of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of particular persons, and public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

The report of the Head of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed.

OMA did not attend and the Hearing Panel gave consent to defer the hearing to another date.

Decision

To defer the hearing until a future date.

The report of the Head of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed.

The Hearing Panel considered an application for a Review of a Hackney Carriage Hire Driver Licence. The Hearing Panel considered the report submitted along with the representations made by The Licensing Unit, the applicant’s representative and the applicant.

The Hearing Panel heard from the Licensing Unit representative about an offence committed by a business partner of BZK which made BZK complicit by way of association. The offence was not linked to BZK’s work in the taxi trade.

BZK’s representative confirmed that they were no longer involved with this business venture and expressed their regret at the incident.

When making their decision the Hearing Panel took into account that BZK’s licence was clean, that BZK had not directly committed the offence and that they were no longer involved in the business venture where the offence had originated from.

Decision

To issue BZK with a warning.

The report of the Head of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed.

The Hearing Panel considered an application for a new Private Hire Driver Licence. The Hearing Panel considered the report submitted along with the representations made by The Licensing Unit and MK.

The Hearing Panel heard from the Licensing Unit representative that MK had had their previous Private Hire Driver Licence revoked as a result of a conviction for plying for hire.

The Hearing Panel took into account that the application is now close to the end of the guidelines for this type of offence. The Hearing Panel also noted that this was an isolated offence and that MK had an otherwise long history of acting as a private hire driver without any incidents or complaints.

Decision

To grant the licence with a warning.

The report of the Head of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed.

The Hearing Panel considered an application for a Review of a Private Hire Driver Licence. The Hearing Panel considered the report submitted along with the representations made by The Licensing Unit and OH.

The Hearing Panel saw footage that had been provided by the Licensing Unit concerning an altercation between OH and other taxi drivers in a neighbouring Local Authority.

The Hearing Panel took into account the seriousness of the incident and, although the Hearing Panel accepted there may have been some provocation towards OH, nevertheless OH’s response and behaviour was deemed unacceptable. The Hearing Panel also took into account that there had been some previous complaints made regarding OH’s behaviour and therefore felt certain that this was not an isolated incident.

Decision

To suspend OH’s Licence for 30 days.

The report of the Head of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed.

RV did not attend and the Hearing Panel gave consent to defer the hearing to another date.

Decision

To defer the hearing until a future date.