Agenda and draft minutes

The minutes from the previous meeting were confirmed.

Please note that, in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct, when declaring interests members must disclose the existence and nature of the interest, and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) or personal and/or pecuniary.

Councillor Pat Vaughan declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest with regard to the agenda item titled 'To Interview an Applicant for a Private Hire Driver's Licence who is Unable to Provide a Certificate of Good Conduct (06/2019)'. The applicant was currently employed by his son.

You are asked to resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item(s) because it is likely that if members of the press or public were present, there would be disclosure of ‘exempt information’

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item(s) of business because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be a disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100I and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

(Councillor Pat Vaughan left the room during the decision making of this interview due to declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the matter. He took no part in the decision being made.)

The Licensing Officer:

a)    explained that the applicant came into City Hall for an appointment to apply for a new Private Hire Drivers Licence on 20^th March 2019

b)    highlighted that the applicant had been unable to provide the Licensing Team with a certificate of good conduct from Iraq where he was originally from

c)    stated that the applicant came to the UK in 2001

d)    advised that the applicant had held a full UK driving licence since April 2007 and currently had no penalty points recorded against him

e)    explained that he also passed the knowledge test on his second attempt as well as achieving a low risk on the Driver Improvement Programme

Members asked the applicant relevant questions in relation to his application.

Decision

That the Private Hire Drivers licence be granted.

Reasons for the Decision

·         The applicant presented himself to the sub-committee as being truthful, open, credible and believable.

·         The applicant had a clean drivers licence and DBS check.

·         The applicant came to the UK aged 16 as a refugee.

·         The applicant answered the Chair’s scenario question very well.