Agenda and minutes

No declarations were made at this point in the meeting.

The minutes of the Licensing Committee meeting held on 12 May 2025 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

a)    Appointment of Chair to Licensing Sub Committee B

b)    Appointment of Chair to Licensing Sub Committee C

c)    Appointment of Three Members of the Licensing

Committee to the Casino Licensing Sub Committee

d)    Appointment of Three Named Substitutes to the Casino

Licensing Sub Committee (who must be Members of the

full Licensing Committee)

The Licensing Committee appointed the Chair to the following Committees:

Licensing Sub Committee B: Councillor Stephen Hill

Licensing Sub Committee C: Councillor Tom Livingstone

Casino Licensing Sub Committee: Councillors Hill, Livingstone and Jones

Named Substitutes to the Casino Sub Committee: Councillors Lewis, Cooper and Gavigan.

ORDERED: That the Councillors appointed act as Chair of their respective Sub Committees.

Members are asked to note the following appointments as decided at the Council’s AGM on the 21 May 2025:

a)    Licensing Sub Committee A - Chair of Licensing Committee (Vice Chair in the Chair’s absence)

b)    Licensing Sub Committee (GENERAL) – Chair of Licensing Committee

The Committee was asked to note that at the Council’s Annual General Meeting of 21 May 2025:

Cllr Linda Lewis was appointed as Chair of Licensing Committee, Chair of Licensing Sub-Committee A and Licensing Sub Committee (General);

Cllr Stephen Hill was appointed Vice Chair of Licensing Committee

NOTED

The Licensing Officer will provide a verbal update, if applicable, on any licensing appeals that have been made since the last meeting of the Committee

There were no updates provided.

Members were advised there was a significant number of cases to be heard by the Licensing Committee and that an additional meeting of the committee may be required before the scheduled meeting on 21 July 2025.

AGREED that an additional meeting of the Licensing Committee be held if the need arose.

To consider passing a Resolution Pursuant to Section 100A (4) Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1972 excluding the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following items on the grounds that if present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information falling within paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

ORDERED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that, if present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Director of Environment and Community Services submitted an exempt report in connection with an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref: 18/25, where circumstances had arisen which required special consideration by the Committee.

The Chair introduced those present and outlined the procedure to be followed.  The Applicant, who was in attendance at the meeting, verified his name and address and confirmed he had received a copy of the report and understood its contents.

The Licensing Officer presented a summary of the report outlining that the Applicant appeared before Members due to the conviction listed at 1) in the report.

On 21 October 2024, the Applicant applied for the grant of a new Private Hire Driver Licence. However, the Applicant declared no previous convictions recorded against him during the application process. The Applicant’s DBS Disclosure Certificate of 23 November 2024 showed no convictions recorded against him. However, the disclosure did contain additional information relating to a road traffic accident in which the Applicant had allegedly struck a female pedestrian and her buggy as they crossed the road on a pedestrian crossing on the 5 December 2023.

On 10 June 2025 the Applicant was interviewed by a licensing enforcement officer to explain the circumstances around the incident. During the interview the Applicant described how on 3 December 2023 they had approached a roundabout with the intention of turning right. After exiting the roundabout, the Applicant had become blinded by the sun which was low in the sky. Consequently, the Applicant’s vehicle struck the female pedestrian, causing a fractured elbow to the female and a bump to the head for the child.

An investigation took place following the incident following which the matter was considered in the Magistrates court. On legal advice the Applicant pleaded guilty to careless driving rather than dangerous driving. When the matter was referred to the Sheriff’s Court the Applicant pleaded guilty and was fined £400 and received seven penalty points. 

The committee were also advised of the Council’s policy and procedure on convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings complaints and character.

A Member sought clarification that the date of the conviction listed in the report was the 5 December 2023 and not 3 December as cited in the Applicant’s interview with Licensing Enforcement Officers.

The Applicant confirmed the content of the report as being an accurate representation of the facts and was invited to address the Committee in support of his application.

The Applicant was invited to address the Committee in support of his application and responded to questions from Members of the Committee and the Council’s Legal Representative.

It was confirmed that there were no further questions and the Applicant, and Officers of the Council, other than representatives of the Council’s Legal and Democratic Services teams, withdrew from the meeting whilst the Committee determined the review. 

Subsequently, all parties returned, and the Chair announced a summary of the Committee’s decision and highlighted that the driver would receive the full decision and reasons within five working days.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/8

Members were advised that some agenda items would be deferred to a future meeting of the Licensing Committee.

In terms of agenda item 10 (Application for Renewal of a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence Ref: 19/25) the deferral was due to the availability of the Applicant’s representative.

In terms of agenda item 12 (Review of a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence Ref: 21/25) the deferral was due to further enquiries made to the Police. 

AGENDA ITEM 10 DEFERRED

The Director of Environment and Community Services submitted an exempt report in connection with an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref: 20/25, where circumstances had arisen which required special consideration by the Committee.

The Chair introduced those present and outlined the procedure to be followed.  The Applicant, who was in attendance at the meeting, verified his name and address and confirmed he had received a copy of the report and understood its contents.

The Licensing Officer presented a summary of the report outlining that the Driver appeared before Members due to the conviction listed at 1 to 3 in the report.

Members were advised that the Driver appeared before Members for a review of his licence due to his having 9 penalty points endorsed on his DVLA driving licence as a result of the convictions detailed in the report.

On 3 June 2025, Licensing Officers received an email from the Driver which stated

He had received six penalty points on his driving licence.” In his email the Driver also stated that the nature of the offence was speeding and no business insurance for food delivery.

Following a check on the Driver’s DVLA driving licence it was revealed the convictions detailed at one to three in the report were recorded against it. 

Officers noted that as the convictions detailed at two and three in the report were dated 26 March 2025, the driver had again failed to comply with the standard licence condition requiring drivers to notify the Licensing Office of any convictions within 48

hours.

On 6 June 2025, the Driver attended an interview with Licensing

Enforcement Officers to enable him to explain the circumstances of the

convictions recorded against him.

As part of the interview the Driver explained he accepted responsibility for his mistakes and apologised for them. He also stated he had attended a speed awareness course for excessive speeding before the incidents listed in the report and stated this was due to sickness which affected his memory. The Driver also explained that on 28 May 2023 he had received a conviction for excessive speeding on Albert Road which resulted in three points being endorsed on his licence and a fine of either £70 or £80. The Driver apologised for not reporting this to the Council.

On 4 December 2024 the Driver received an offence for failing to comply with traffic light signals. He was also found to be driving without proper business insurance when stopped by the Police. The Driver also apologised for not declaring the conviction to the Council. The Driver stated that ongoing mental health issues contributed to his failure to comply with relevant licensing conditions.

Members were reminded of section 61 of the Local Government Act 1976 and the Council’s right to suspend, revoke or refuse to renew the licence of a driver of a private hire vehicle, if since the grant of a licence he has been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty, indecency or violence, or has failed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/10

AGENDA ITEM 12 DEFERRED