Issue - meetings

The Licensing Unit Manager presented a report submitted by the Assistant Director (Legal and Democratic Services) regarding applications for Private Hire Vehicle Drivers’ Licences. 

The Applicants were invited to attend the meeting for separate hearings and invited to address the Panel separately on their applications and any matters referred to in the Officer’s report. 

1.     Applicant 7/2018 attended the meeting and was accompanied by Mr Patel,

Solicitor.  The Chair outlined the procedure to be followed and the Licensing Unit Manager read the report, which was accepted by the Applicant and Mr Patel, which detailed a number of major offences and convictions the Applicant had received since 1995 until 2011, which had resulted in fines, community service and also imprisonment.

The Applicant explained, through Panel questioning, that in 1995 when he was 16 years of age and at College, his father had a stroke and subsequently passed away shortly after.  This made the Applicant, as the eldest son, the provider for his Mother and siblings.  Unfortunately, this responsibility became too much for the Applicant and he turned to a life of crime, involving drugs and alcohol for which the Applicant was sent to Prison on numerous occasions.  During his time in prison and as he got older, the Applicant began to realise that he no longer had the respect of his children, who refused to call him Father, which upset him deeply.

Following his release from Prison in 2011, the Applicant bought a takeaway which was very successful.  Towards the end of 2017 the Applicant’s sister was diagnosed with bowel cancer which meant daily visits for treatment to hospital and the Applicant had to sell the takeaway.  Unfortunately, the sister passed away and the Applicant became responsible for her children as well as his own.  He now works as a delivery driver for the same takeaway but requires a job that allows him flexibility in order to take the children to and

from school and provide for his family.  The Applicant no longer drinks or takes drugs.  He stated he is a changed man but requires this chance in order to provide fully for his family.

                  Delegated Decision:

The Panel carefully considered the report and the oral representations by the Applicant and Mr Patel and after taking into account the Council’s Conviction Policy and Guidelines and in accordance with the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 resolved, on a majority decision, that the application for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence by Applicant 07/2018 be granted for a period of 6 months.

                  The Panel noted;

·         That all of the offences and convictions the Applicant was guilty of were of a very serious nature,

·         That the Applicant accepted the severity of these offences and was genuinely remorseful for his past actions when he was younger. 

·         That the Applicant is now forty years old and a changed person and the last conviction was over 7 years ago.

·         That the Applicant had openly provided a full history of convictions to the Licensing Unit and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 117