Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hobson and Marshall.  Councillor Welch attended as Councillor Marshall ’s substitute.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 14 January 2019.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2019.

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 14 January 2019.

A copy of the Register of Interest for each Selby District Councillor is available for inspection at www.selby.gov.uk.

Councillors should declare to the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest in any item of business on this agenda which is not already entered in their Register of Interests. Councillors should leave the meeting and take no further part in the consideration, discussion or vote on any matter in which they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Councillors should also declare any other interests. Having made the declaration, provided the other interest is not a disclosable pecuniary interest, the Councillor may stay in the meeting, speak and vote on that item of business.

If in doubt, Councillors are advised to seek advice from the Monitoring Officer.

Councillor K Ellis declared a personal and pecuniary interest in agenda item 8 “Private Hire Driver’s Licence” as he knew the driver concerned and therefore stated that he would be leaving the meeting during the consideration of this item.

To confirm the procedure to be followed at the meeting, including the Council’s Taxi Licensing Policy.

The Committee noted the Licensing Committee procedure and the Council’s Taxi Licensing Policy.

The Chair informed the Committee that on 12 February 2019, the Department of Transport had begun a public consultation on “statutory guidance for taxi and private hire vehicles licensing authorities” on how to use their licensing powers to protect children and vulnerable adults.  It was noted that the consultation would run until 22 April 2019 and full details could be found on the consultation website.

The Chair reported to the Committee that the Licensing Manager had given one verbal warning to taxi drivers this month.

To ask the Licensing Committee to note and consider the consultation responses in the report, and to determine if there should be an increase to this year’s Hackney Carriage tariff and if so what that should be.      

The Licensing Officer presented the report, which asked the Committee to note and consider the consultation responses relating to the Hackney Carriage tariffs, and to consider whether there should be an increase to the tariff or not.

The Committee was informed that the last approved increase to the Hackney Carriage tariff was in January 2013, with it being determined that there should be no increase in fares following a consultation in 2014. 

The Committee heard that as part of the 2018 consultation process, letters proposing an increase of 2.5% to the Hackney Carriage tariff was sent to all 73 Hackney Carriage proprietors and drivers, with the consultation running from 29 October 2018 to 26 November 2018.  The Committee were informed that 36 responses to the consultation had been received, with 30 of the drivers putting forward a proposed Hackney Carriage tariff, as detailed at appendix A of the report.

The Licensing Officer confirmed that compared to neighbouring authorities, York and Craven Council, the drivers proposed charges, on average, were higher than Craven Council but lower than York Council.

The Committee were supportive of the driver’s proposed Hackney Carriage tariff increase, as detailed in the report at appendix A.

RESOLVED:

i.             To note the consultation responses in the report.

ii.            To agree to raise the tariffs proposed by the   Hackney Carriage drivers, as outlined in the report  at appendix A.

iii.          To authorise the advertisement of the variation in a local newspaper.

REASON FOR DECISION:

There had been no increase in the Hackney Carriage tariff since 2013, taking into account price increases in fuel, insurance and licence fees, it was recommended that the Hackney carriage fare increase proposed by the Hackney Carriage drivers be implemented.

That, in accordance with Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, the meeting be not open to the Press and public during discussion of the following items as there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act.

It was proposed, and seconded, that the Committee sit in private session due to the nature of the business to be transacted.

RESOLVED:

That, in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted the meeting be not open to the press and public during discussion of the following items as there will be disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act.

To receive the report, which asks the Committee to consider an application for a Private Hire driver’s licence.

Following his earlier declaration, Councillor Ellis left the meeting and did not return.  Councillor Sweeting chaired the meeting for this item.

The Licensing Manager presented the report, which asked the Committee to determine an application for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence. It was noted that the application had been brought before the Committee due to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check highlighting previous convictions during the application process.

The applicant was present and was able to respond to questions asked by the Committee concerning the report including the previous convictions.

The applicant and Licensing Manager left the meeting whilst the Committee considered the application.

The Committee considered that the convictions were of concern however they had occurred a long time ago.  The Committee considered that the evidence presented demonstrated that the applicant was a ‘fit and proper person’ to be a licensed Private Hire driver.

RESOLVED:

To grant the application for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The Committee was satisfied that the applicant was a ‘fit and proper’ person in accordance with the Council’s Licensing Policy.