Agenda and draft minutes

The evacuation procedure was noted.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 25 November 2025.

The minutes were 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 and determine the fitness of applicant – 159461 for a new combined hackney carriage and private hire drivers licence who had provided a DBS which contained relevant convictions and currently did not meet the Stockton Borough Council private hire and hackney carriage licensing policy.

Applicant – 159461, 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  - 159461’s application with a DVLA check code.

- A copy of the interview transcript with Licensing Officers and applicant – 159461.

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

Applicant - 159461 appeared before the Committee for determination of his application to drive hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, following the submission of his DBS certificate which was part of the application process, and which showed a conviction for ‘Conceal/Disguise/Convert/Transfer Criminal Property’, which he was convicted of. Applicant - 159461 received a suspended sentence and given community service.

The Committee Members were presented with the officers’ report, both Members and the applicant – 159461 had the opportunity to ask questions of the officers report.

The main topics discussed were as follows:

- Applicant – 159461 explained to Members that he was new to the UK and was trying to earn enough money to secure a home for himself and his wife who was not well.

- Applicant – 159461 had been employed as a delivery driver earning approximately £50 to £60 per day, however a friend had introduced applicant – 159461 to someone who offered him a delivery job with much better earnings which he accepted. Applicant – 159461 was given a package to deliver and was told the package contained cash. Applicant – 159461 explained to the Committee that transferring money was commonplace in his country of origin, however he now realised this was not the case in the UK and that he had made a mistake. Applicant – 159461 confirmed to Members that this was the only time he had done this.

Members questioned applicant – 159461’s background which included substance misuse and addiction. Applicant – 159461 explained he was young at the time, and it was not an addiction. Applicant – 159461 also confirmed that he did not drink or smoke and it had only happened when he was younger.

Applicant – 159461 ensured the Committee that he was a fit and proper person and although he had made mistakes in the past, he was focused on working hard and providing for his family. Applicant– 159461 appreciated he had made mistakes; however, those mistakes were over 6 years ago, and he really needed an opportunity to make a better life.

It was confirmed to the Committee, and they were satisfied that applicant – 159461 had fully cooperated with Cleveland Police who believed applicant –159461’s account of the incident that he was  ...  view the full minutes text for item GLC/34/25

Members were asked to consider and determine the continued fitness of combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401 who was involved in an incident in Thornaby town centre.

Combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401 and his representative Mr David Wilson, attended the meeting and were 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 an e mail referral from the Community Safety Team to the Licensing Team

regarding an incident in Thornaby town centre which involved combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401.

- A copy of a delegated decision front sheet relating to combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401.

- A copy of a suspension letter to combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401.

- A copy of an interview transcript between licensing officers and combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401.

- A copy pf a report confirming that combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401 had made a call to the enforcement centre to report the incident he was involved in.

- A copy of an e mail from an Honorary Alderman who gave a brief history of the issues in Thornaby Town Centre which related to the incident combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401 had been involved in.

- Copies of various historical written warnings relating to combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401.

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

Combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401 appeared before the Committee with his representative due to an incident which involved combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401 where he had been seen on CCTV holding onto a  young person in Thornaby Town Centre and who was also seen in possession of a shortened golf club.

The Committee Members were presented with the officers’ report as well as various CCTV footage which showed the incident from different camera angles. Committee Members, combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401 and his representative had the opportunity to ask questions of the officer’s report.

The main topics discussed were as follows:

Combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401’s representative explained to Members that driver – 054401 was a family man with no criminal convictions and had been a licenced driver for over 20 years and had worked from the taxi rank in Thornaby for a very long time. A number of Anti-Social Behaviour incidents had been reported in and around the area of Thornaby Town Centre and the taxi rank in the last few months.

Combined hackney carriage and private hire driver – 054401 kept the number for the enforcement team in his phone to report any incidents he saw.

The Committee were shown CCTV footage which showed applicant – 054401  ...  view the full minutes text for item GLC/35/25

Members of the General Licensing Committee were informed that Combined Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver – 155051’s representative had contacted the Licensing Service requesting a deferral to allow for additional evidence to be presented to the Committee.

Members considered the request and agreed to defer the item to a future meeting of the General Licensing Committee.

RESOLVED that Combined Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver – 155051’s application be deferred to a future meeting of the General Licensing Committee.

Members were asked to consider and determine an application for a private hire drivers licence from applicant – 159009 who had provided a DBS which contained relevant convictions relating to the alleged offence of 3 x assaults occasioning actual bodily hard and engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour.

Applicant – 159009 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 – 159009’s application form, including DVLA check code.

- A copy of a summary transcript between the applicant and licensing officers.

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

Applicant - 159009 appeared before the Committee in relation to his application due to his DBS certificate containing information relating to the alleged offence of 3 x assaults occasioning actual bodily hard and engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour.

The Committee Members were presented with the officers’ report. Committee Members and applicant - 159009 had the opportunity to ask questions of the officer’s report.

The main topics discussed were as follows:

- Applicant – 159009 explained to Members the history to the allegations which had been made against him and which he also denied. He told Members that he had fully cooperated with the police and was awaiting a bail hearing which kept getting deferred. Currently the latest bail hearing was scheduled for February 2026.

- Applicant -159009 stated that he had put in his application prior to the bail hearing as he did not know if the February hearing would be also put back as the others had been.

- Applicant -159009 said he was physically and mentally fit, he was a safe driver with no endorsements on his DVLA licence. He also stated he did not have a criminal record, just the current outstanding police investigation relating to the assault allegations. Applicant -159009 believed he was a fit and proper person to hold a private hire drivers licence, was not dangerous and would not cause any harm to anyone.

The Committee had considered all the information before them and listened to what applicant - 159009 and the licensing officer had said to them.

The Committee felt they were not currently able to determine that applicant - 159009 was a fit and proper person, due to the outstanding allegations against him of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour for which applicant – 159009 was currently on police bail. 

The Committee had determined applicant – 159009’s application be refused.

RESOLVED that applicant –159009’s application for a private hire drivers licence be refused for the reasons as detailed above.