Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED -

That the licensing related appeals and prosecutions during the period 1 to 28 November 2016 be noted.

The Committee received a report on the proposed planned review of Vehicle Licensing.

There are currently 708 vehicles in the Council’s taxi fleet, of these 211 are Hackney Carriages and 497 are Private Hire Vehicles. Since Officers’ delegated powers to approve vehicles over three years old were removed, there have been 6 applications to add a vehicle to the fleet aged over three. Of these 5 have been approved and 1 has been refused. There have also been 14 vehicles aged 8 years that have applied for a one year extension to their Licence which is still dealt with under delegated powers.

As with all policies changes in circumstances, including changes in legislation and the advent of new technology mean that they need to be updated and improved. The Council are proposing to begin a review of the Vehicle Licence policies for a number of reasons as set out below:-

·         Emissions

·         New Technology

·         Vehicle Safety

·         Passenger Safety

·         Cross border issue

Committee are asked to consider the points raised in the report and Elaine Rudman will email the committee the points that need considering and a further report will be brought back to Committee for further consideration in the new year.

RESOLVED -      i)   that the information be noted

                           ii)   that the Committee be asked to consider the points raised in the

                                 report and provide feedback to officers for further consideration

                                 in the new year.   

RESOLVED -

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the remaining business in accordance with the indicated paragraph of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act of 1972.

RESOLVED -

That the summary of decisions from last committee be noted.

RESOLVED -

i)

The Committee were not satisfied that the applicant was a fit and proper person to hold a dog breeding establishment licence and the application was subsequently refused.

ii)

The applicant was informed that he had the right to appeal the Committee’s decision to Gateshead Magistrates’ Court. As the applicant was in attendance at the committee meeting and was duly notified of the decision at that time, any such appeal should be brought within 21 days of the committee date.

iii)

The applicant was also advised that as he had not been issued with a licence he must not keep a dog breeding establishment and that doing so would constitute an offence under section 1(9) of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 which would render him liable to prosecution with the potential of imprisonment, a fine and a disqualification from keeping a dog breeding establishment in the future.

RESOLVED -

i)

The Committee were satisfied that the applicant (RC/35/16) was a fit and proper person to hold both a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver licence at this time and as such to grant him a dual licence

ii)

The Committee agreed to grant the dual licence for the duration of one year and otherwise subject to the Council’s standard conditions.