Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Richard Sweeting and Mary McCartney.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 6 June 2022.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2022.

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 6 June 2022.

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 I Chilvers declared a non-pecuniary personal interest in agenda item 8, as he knew the applicant’s mother; Councillor Chilvers confirmed that he would leave the meeting at the end of this item and would not return.

Councillor J Chilvers declared a non-pecuniary personal interest in agenda item 8, as she knew a member of the applicant’s family; Councillor Chilvers confirmed that she would leave the meeting at the end of this item and would not return.

Councillor J Cattanach declared a non-pecuniary personal interest in agenda item 8 once the employer’s reference document had been circulated, as he knew the referee who had supplied the reference, however he confirmed that he would not leave the meeting during consideration thereof.

In the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair, the election of a Chair for the remainder of the meeting was required. It was proposed, seconded and agreed that Councillor M Jordan be appointed as Chair for the meeting.

Councillors J and I Chilvers left the meeting at this point.

Councillor M Jordan in the Chair.

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.

There was no Chairs address to the Committee.

The Committee was informed that at the meeting of the Executive on 1 September 2022 permission had been granted to consult on a revised hackney carriage tariff.  It was noted that the last approved increase to the hackney carriage fares had been in 2019, and that this proposed increase review had been necessitated due to the rising fuel cost to drivers at the petrol pumps.

The Committee heard that the public consultation period would run from the 8 September 2022 to 22 September 2022 and should there be no objections made in relation to the tariff, the fares would come into effect on the 1 October 2022.   However, if objections were received and were not able to be resolved, the matter would be taken back to the Executive for consideration.

The officer stated that the Licensing Committee would be kept informed of the outcome of the public consultation.

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 the application for a Hackney Carriage Driver Licence.

The Operational Service Manager presented the report, which asked the Committee to determine an application for a Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence.  It was noted that the application had been brought before the Committee due to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check highlighted 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. A current employer’s reference which had been missing from the agenda pack was also circulated during the meeting to the applicant and Members, and the information contained therein was taken into consideration. 

The applicant, the applicant’s partner, the Operational Service Manager and the Licensing Officer left the meeting at this point and did not return.

The Committee considered that the convictions were of concern however they had occurred a long time ago, and that the applicant had learned from their mistakes.  The Committee considered that the evidence presented demonstrated that the applicant was a ‘fit and proper person’ to be a licensed Hackney Carriage driver.

RESOLVED:

To grant the application for a Hackney Carriage 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.