Agenda and minutes

To declare interests in any item on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

To note the adopted procedure for the conduct of business by the Sub-Committee.

The Sub-Committee noted the procedure for the conduct of business for this meeting.

Exclusion: To consider whether, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that they will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or are confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, which came into effect on 1 March 2006, requires the Council to consider whether maintaining the exemption listed above outweighs the potential public interest in disclosing the information. Any member who considers that this test should be applied to any currently exempted matter on this agenda should contact the proper officer at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Background Papers:  Article 17 - Access to Information, Procedure Rules of the Constitution define background papers as being documents relating to the subject matter of the report which in the Proper Officer's opinion:

(a)        disclose any facts or matters on which the report or an important part of the report is based;  and

(b)        have been relied on to a material extent in preparing the report and does not include published works or those which disclose exempt or confidential information and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

The Council will make available for public inspection for four years after the date of the meeting one copy of each of the documents on the list of background papers.

Resolved :

That in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or were confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

To consider the attached report for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence for Mr Garcia.

The Sub-Committee considered an application for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence from Mr Garcia. The three Councillors which presided over this item were Councillors: R Morgan (Chairman); P Keska; and C P Pond. The Sub-Committee noted that Officers did not have the necessary delegated authority and, as a result, this application had to be considered by the Sub-Committee.

The Chairman welcomed the Applicant and introduced the Members and Officers present. The Licensing Compliance Officer, D Houghton, informed the Sub-Committee of the circumstances relating to the application.

The Applicant made a short statement in support of his case before answering some questions from the members of the Sub-Committee.  Mr C Ellis the holder of the operator’s license for STS Taxis Ltd provided additional clarification on behalf of Mr Garcia. The Sub-Committee retired to consider the application.

The Sub-Committee returned to the meeting and the Chairman advised the participants of the Sub-Committee’s decision. The Chairman also advised that the Sub-Committee had received no additional advice from Officers during their deliberations in private session.

Resolved:

That the application for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence be granted for a period of three years as the Sub-Committee was satisfied the Applicant was a fit and proper person to hold a Driver’s Licence, subject to:

                            I.           the Applicant passing the Council’s Knowledge Test;

                           II.           the provision of a Group 2 Medical Certificate