Agenda and draft minutes

To follow

The evacuation procedure was noted.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last General Licensing Committee meetings held on 28 May and 20 June 2024.

Consideration was given to the draft minutes form the meetings which were held on 28 May and 20 June 2024 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 the continued fitness of licensed private

hire driver - 144459, who had received relevant complaints from members of the public.

Private Hire Driver - 144459 attended the meeting and was given the opportunity to make representation.

A witness who had made a complaint relating to private hire driver - 144459 was also in attendance and 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 a complaint form.

- A copy of a statement from private hire driver - 144459’s passenger.

- A copy of statements of complaint from three staff members at Sainsbury’s, Maske Parade, Bishopsgarth, Stockton.

- A copy of a summary transcript of an interview with private hire driver - 144459 and Licensing Officers.

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

The Committee understood that the matter before them was to determine the continued fitness of private hire driver – 144459 as detailed in the Committee report and appendices.

The Committee heard that private hire driver - 144459 had been licenced with the Authority since September 2017, and his current licence expired on 31st August 2026.

The Committee heard that on Monday 22nd July 2024, a complaint form was submitted to the licensing department, regarding the driver of private hire vehicle who was identified as private hire driver – 144459. The complainant was a member of staff at Sainsburys, Maske Parade, Bishopsgarth, Stockton-on-Tees, who had refused to serve a female customer alcohol on 18th July 2024, as she believed the customer to be drunk. The Committee were told that the customer returned to a taxi after leaving the store. The driver of the vehicle then entered the store and there was a verbal altercation with the staff member and private hire driver – 144459.

CCTV footage of the incident on 18th July 2024, was presented to the Committee. The Committee noted that footage showed private hire driver - 144459 entering the store and speak with a member of staff. As the footage progressed, the Committee saw private hire driver - 144459 becoming increasingly angry, gesturing and pointing at the staff member. The CCTV recording within the store did not capture sound.

The Sainsbury’s staff member attended the Committee hearing as a witness. The Committee heard from the witness that the customer, who was a passenger in private hire driver - 144459 vehicle , was well known to staff at the store, and, who usually attempted to purchase two bottles of wine and who was believed to be regularly intoxicated. The witness told the Committee in evidence that she witnessed private hire driver – 144459’s passenger clinging on to the shelves in the store, and in her opinion, was drunk, and became aggressive when the staff member/ witness refused to allow her to purchase alcohol. The witness told the Committee that when private hire driver  ...  view the full minutes text for item GLC/22/24