Agenda and minutes

1.         This meeting is to be webcast. Participants are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking.

2.         The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the internet (or filmed) and will be capable of repeated viewing (or another use by such third parties).

If you are seated in the lower public seating area it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in the possibility that your image will become part of the broadcast.

This may infringe your human and data protection rights and if you wish to avoid this you should move to the upper public gallery.”

The Chairman made a short address to remind everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast to the internet and would be capable of repeated viewing, which could infringe their human and data protection rights.

To declare interests in any item on this agenda.

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

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

The Sub-Committee noted the agreed procedure for the conduct of business and the Terms of Reference.

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 item of business set out below on the 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 an application for a Private Hire Driver's Licence.

The Sub-Committee considered an application for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence from Mr Ahmed. The three councillors that presided over this item were Councillors Morgan (Chairman), C P Pond and M Sartin. The Sub-Committee noted that the applicant was not present at the meeting and this was the third Sub-Committee that Mr Ahmed had been invited to, but not attended.

The Chairman requested that everyone, except the Licensing Sub-Committee members and advising officers left the chamber whilst they considered the application.

RESOLVED:

That the application for Private Hire Driver’s Licence was not granted.

To Consider a new applciation for a Hackney Carriage Driver's Licence

The Sub-Committee considered an application for a Hackney carriage Driver’s Licence from Mr Haidari. The three councillors that presided over this item were Councillors Morgan (Chairman), C P Pond and M Sartin. 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 under which the licence could not be dealt with under delegated authority.

The applicant made a short statement in support of his application before answering a number of questions from members of the Sub-Committee. The Chairman requested that everyone, except the Licensing Sub-Committee members and advising officers left the chamber whilst they considered the application.

The Chairman invited the applicant and Licensing Officer back into the chamber and informed the applicant of the Sub-Committee’s decision.

The Chairman advised that during their deliberations in private session they had received advice from officers that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Acts applied.

RESOLVED:

That the application for Hackney Carriage Drivers Licence was not granted.

To invite the public and press back into the meeting for the remaining items of business.

RESOLVED:

That the public and press be invited back into the meeting for the remaining items of business.

To consider the attached report.

The three councillors that presided over this item were Councillors R Morgan (Chairman), S Heather and M Sartin.

Resolved:

The Sub-Committee noted that the applicant could not attend this meeting and deferred this item to a future meeting in order that Licensing Sub Committee could ask questions of the applicant.