Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Ebbw Vale

Contact: Democratic Services  6139

Items
No. Item

1.

Simultaneous Translation

You are welcome to use Welsh at the meeting, a minimum notice period of 3 working days is required should you wish to do so.  A simultaneous translation will be provided if requested.

Minutes:

It was noted that no requests had been received for the simultaneous translation service.

 

2.

Apologies

To receive.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M. Moore, J.P. Morgan, D. Wilkshire, L. Winnett.

 

3.

Declarations of Interest and Dispensations

To consider any declarations of interest and dispensations made.

Minutes:

No declarations of interest or dispensations were reported.

 

4.

Exempt Items(s)

To receive and consider the following report(s) which in the opinion of the proper officer is/are an exempt item(s) taking into account consideration of the public interest test and that the press and public should be excluded from the meeting (the reason for the decision for the exemption is available on a schedule maintained by the proper officer).

5.

Schedule of Applications for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licences

To consider the report of the Team Manager Licensing and Commercial.

Minutes:

Having regard to the views expressed by the Proper Officer regarding the public interest test, that on balance the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information and that the report should be exempt.

 

RESOLVED that the public be excluded whilst this item of business is transacted as it is likely there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972 (as amended).

 

Consideration was given to report of the Team Manager Licensing and Commercial, whereupon:-

 

Application for a new Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Vehicle Driver’s Licence

 

At the invitation of the Chair, the Senior Licensing Officer explained that the application before Committee was for a Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Vehicle Driver’s Licence.  Members were informed that the applicant had previously held a Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence on two separate occasions, the most recent Licence lapsed in 2011. 

 

It was noted from the DBS records that the applicant had convictions for previous offences, and the applicant explained the circumstances of the offences to Members, all of which were committed a number of years ago.

 

The applicant informed the Committee that should she be granted a licence, she would become employed with a local taxi firm in the Nantyglo area.

 

Members considered the evidence, taking into account the previous convictions and the representations made by the applicant and the Senior Licensing Officer.  Consideration was also given to the Council’s convictions policy relating to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licences.  The Committee was of the opinion that the applicant was a fit and proper person to hold a Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence, and it was therefore

RESOLVED that the Licence be GRANTED for a period of 3 years.

 

Review of Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Vehicle Driver’s Licence

 

The Licensing Enforcement Officer explained that the matter had been brought before the Committee to review a Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Vehicle Driver’s Licence, following a complaint received from a member of the public on the 3rd November, 2019 that the Licence-holder had overcharged a customer.

 

The Officer explained that the complainant was a disabled 72 year old lady, and had hired the licence-holder for a journey on the 25th October, 2019 from Nantyglo to the Learning Action Centre in Ebbw Vale and a return trip.  The Licence-holder had charged the lady £40 for the journey, and the lady paid £35 as this was all the money she had in her possession at the time.

 

The Officer informed Members that calculated on a meter the charge for the journey should have cost in the region of £19 to £22.  Following the complaint being received by the Licensing Department, the Licence-holder was asked to attend an informal meeting.  At that meeting the Licence-holder did not deny the charge levied against him, and added that he had travelled from Six Bells, Abertillery to pick up the fare and this was the reason for the extra charge.  The Licensing Officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.