Agenda and minutes

The evacuation procedure was noted.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 31 January 2023

Consideration was given to the General Licensing Committee minutes from the meeting which was held on 31 January 2023 for approval and signature.

RESOLVED that the minutes be approved and signed as a correct record by the Chair.

RESOLVED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Members were asked to consider a request which had been made by Combined Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver – 001223’s legal representative to defer this item to the next meeting of the General Licensing Committee to enable him to consider additional information prior to the hearing.

A vote took place, and the deferment was agreed.

RESOLVED that this item be deferred to the next committee meeting of the General Licensing Committee scheduled for 18 April 2023.

Members were asked to consider and determine a new application for a combined private hire and hackney carriage driver licence for applicant – 154855.

Applicant - 154855 attended the meeting and was given the opportunity to make representation.

Committee papers and reports had been provided to all relevant parties prior to the meeting. 

The report detailed the following:

- a copy of applicant – 154855’s application, including a DVLA check certificate showing no live DVLA points

- a summary of an interview transcript with licensing officers and applicant -  154855

The Chair introduced everyone present and explained the procedure to be followed during the hearing.

The Committee noted that the application was for the grant of an application for a licence to drive private hire and hackney carriage vehicles.

The Committee heard that applicant – 154855 provided an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Certificate during the application process, which revealed convictions for:

-  failing to surrender to custody at appointed time in 2011

-  battery in 2015

-  driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol on 29th July 2017, for which he was fined £184, ordered to pay costs of £85 plus a victim surcharge of £30. Upon conviction on 29th November 2017, applicant – 154855 was also disqualified was also disqualified from driving for 36 months.

The Committee heard that when applicant – 154855 was interviewed by officers on 28th February 2023, he explained that the offence of failing to surrender to custody related to him refusing to give a sample of breath when his vehicle was stopped after drinking alcohol. The Committee noted that applicant – 154855  told officers that due to his refusal to co-operate with police officers at the roadside he was detained in custody for one day.

The Committee heard that when officers carried out further investigations following applicant – 154855’s interview, they discovered that the offence of failing to surrender to custody actually referred to applicant – 154855 jumping bail in 2011. The Committee noted that when applicant – 154855 was asked again about this via email, he responded that the Court date had slipped his mind and he was therefore detained overnight by police and taken to Court the following day.

The Committee noted that during interview, applicant – 154855 had disclosed to officers that at the time, in 2011, he was also convicted of driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol and was banned from driving for 36 months. The Committee heard that applicant – 154855’s driving licence was subsequently reinstated in 2014.

The Committee heard that in relation to the offence of Battery in 2015, applicant – 154855 had explained to officers during interview that this occurred during a difficult time in his life due to the death of his baby son.

The Committee further heard that applicant – 154855 was asked in interview why he was disqualified from driving for a long period of time in 2017, following his conviction for driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol. The officer told the  ...  view the full minutes text for item GLC/50/22