Issue - meetings

The Licence Holders were invited to attend the meeting for separate hearings. They were invited to address the Panel separately and any matters referred to in the Officer’s report. 

1.   Licence Holder 18/2017 was invited into the meeting room and confirmed that he would be representing himself.

The Chair outlined the procedure to be followed and the Licensing Unit Manager presented the report submitted by the Assistant Director (Localities) which was accepted by the Licence Holder. This set out the reasons for the Licence Holder being before the Panel.

The report explained that the Licence Holder had been convicted of an offence of fraud by failing to disclose to the Department of Work and Pensions information that he was working as a self employed private hire driver in receipt of earnings which he was under a legal duty to disclose intending by that failure to make a gain namely £2500 in Employment Support Allowance. The Licence Holder had been convicted in March 2017 and sentenced to a curfew with electronic monitoring as well as being ordered to repay the sum.

The Licence Holder who had been licensed as a Private Hire Driver since December 2013, acknowledged the conviction. He explained that he had been unable to work for 3-4 weeks due to a medical condition in January 2015. After returning to work as a private hire driver he had not informed the Department of Work and Pensions. The Licence Holder reported that he had also been involved in a motor vehicle accident in January 2017 and was still suffering from the injuries he had sustained. He apologised for his actions and explained that at the time his wife was pregnant and was suffering from complications. The Licence Holder also has to provide and care for three children and he stated that the family are suffering as a result of financial pressures. The Licence Holder stated that he had forgotten to notify the Licensing Office of his conviction in March.

The Chair invited members of the Panel to ask the Licence Holder questions.

Delegated decision:

After carefully considering the written report, oral statements from the Licence Holder and taking into account the Council’s Convictions Policy and Guidelines, pursuant to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, the Panel resolved, unanimously, to admonish Licence Holder 18/2017 as to his conduct but to take no further action.

The Panel noted;

·         That the offence was of a serious nature

·         That the Licence Holder had expressed genuine regret and apologised for his actions

·         That the Licence Holder also acknowledged the severity of his actions and the consequences of not reporting his convictions.

·         The Panel also noted the mitigating factors presented by the Licence Holder.

2.   Licence Holder 17/2017 was invited into the meeting room and confirmed that he would be representing himself.

The Chair outlined the procedure to be followed and the Licensing Unit Manager presented a report submitted by the Assistant Director (Localities) which was accepted by the Licence Holder. This set  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119