Agenda and minutes

In the event the fire alarm sounds attendees will be advised to evacuate the building via the nearest fire exit and assemble at the Bottle of Notes opposite MIMA. 

The Chair welcomed those present and highlighted the Council’s Fire Evacuation Procedure.

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were no Declarations of Interest made by Members at this point in the meeting.

The minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 16 March 2026 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

The Licensing Officer will provide a verbal update, if applicable, on any licensing appeals/revocations since the last meeting of the Committee. 

The Licensing Manager advised Members that since the previous Committee meeting, under Delegated Powers, Officers had revoked four Private Hire Vehicle driver licences, with immediate effect, as follows:-

1.     24 March 2026 - As a result of information received from Cleveland Police that the driver had been arrested in relation to the offences of rape and stalking.

2.     2 April 2026 - As a result of information from Cleveland Police that, following a crash, the driver had failed a breathalyser test.

3.     2 April 2026 - As a result of information received from Newcastle City Council that the driver, who was also licensed with them, had had his licence revoked due to inappropriate sexual comments made to several female passengers.

4.     15 April 2026 – As a result of information received from Cleveland Police that the driver had been arrested following the discovery of Class A drugs and money in his vehicle.

NOTED

There were no other urgent items. 

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 Corporate Director of Regeneration and Housing submitted an exempt report in connection with the review of Combined Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref: 07/26, where circumstances had arisen which required special consideration by the Committee.

The Chair introduced those present and outlined the procedure to be followed.  The driver, 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 Manager presented a summary of the report, highlighting that the matter had been due to be considered by the Licensing Committee on 13 April 2026, however, the driver notified Officers he would not be able to attend due to a pre-arranged family holiday and requested that the matter be deferred to the next scheduled meeting.

Archived records showed that the driver was first licensed with Middlesbrough Council in August 1993.  His licence was granted following consideration of the convictions at 1) to 3) in the report by the Licensing Committee.

On 6 August 2021, the driver appeared before Members for consideration of a further application due to the convictions at 1) to 3).  On that occasion, the Committee refused to grant the application but advised he may wish to reapply in April 2002 when Members may consider a fresh application.

The driver again appeared before the Committee on 10 February 2003 with a new application.  Having considered the convictions at 1) to 4), the Committee granted the licence.

The driver appeared before the Committee for review of his licence on 24 August 2004 when Members considered the convictions listed at 1) to 6) in the report.  On that occasion the Committee allowed the driver to retain his licence on condition that he completed the Driver Improvement Scheme.

The driver now appeared before Committee for review of his Combined Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle driver licence as a result of the convictions detailed at 1) to 10) in the report.  It was highlighted that convictions 1) to 7) were previously taken into account at the time of the driver’s last licence renewal.

Members were advised that the driver had notified the Licensing Department, on 17 December 2024, by email, that he had a speeding ticket endorsement for 4 October 2024.  The next day, clarification was sought from a Licensing Officer as to whether this was the driver’s first endorsement and how many penalty points he had on his DVLA licence.

The driver responded that this was his second endorsement and he had six penalty points on his licence.

On 23 December 2024, a Licensing Officer emailed the driver to advise that due to accruing six penalty points on his DVLA licence he was required to attend a Driver Improvement Scheme within three months of the date of his last endorsement.  The driver successfully completed the scheme on 26 February 2025.

On 19 January 2026, during a routine check of the driver’s DVLA licence status, it was revealed that he  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/104

The Corporate Director of Regeneration and Housing submitted an exempt report in connection with an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref: 08/26, 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 Manager presented a summary of the report outlining that the applicant appeared before Members due to the conviction detailed at 1) in the submitted report.  It was highlighted that the applicant had failed to declare the conviction in his application and that the information was discovered following a check on the status of his DVLA driving licence.

The applicant was interviewed by a Licensing Enforcement Officer on 12 February 2026 when he provided an explanation in relation to the conviction and confirmed that there were no outstanding matters of which the Council was unaware.

The applicant stated that he had been driving in the UK for 20 years without any accidents, incidents or convictions other than the one listed at 1).  The applicant’s explanation in relation to the offence was detailed in the report.

The applicant confirmed the report as being an accurate representation of the facts and was invited to address the Committee in support of his application.  The applicant addressed the Committee in support of his application and responded to questions from Members 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 application.

Subsequently, all parties returned, and the Chair announced a summary of the Committee’s decision and highlighted that the applicant would receive the full decision and reasons within five working days.

ORDERED that the application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref No: 08/26 be refused, as follows:-

Authority to Act 

1.     Under Section 51 of the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976 (“the Act”) the Committee may decide to grant a Private Hire Vehicle driver’s licence only if it was satisfied the driver was a fit and proper person to be granted such a licence. 

2.     The Committee considered Section 51 of the Act, the Middlesbrough Council Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Policy 2022 (“the Policy”), the report and representations made by the applicant. 

3.     The application was considered on its own particular facts and on its merits. 

Decision 

4.     After carefully considering all the information, the Licensing Committee decided to refuse to grant the application for a Private Hire Vehicle driver’s licence on the grounds that the Committee was not satisfied the applicant was a fit and proper person to be granted the licence.  The reasons for the decision were as follows:-

Reasons

5.     On 2 October 2024 the applicant was fined  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/105

The Corporate Director of Regeneration and Housing submitted an exempt report in connection with an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref: 12/26, 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 accompanied by his partner, verified his name and address and confirmed he had received a copy of the report and understood its contents. 

The Licensing Manager presented a summary of the report outlining that the applicant appeared before Members due to the Police Caution detailed at 1) in the submitted report.  It was highlighted that the applicant had failed to declare the caution in his application and that the information was revealed in his DBS disclosure.

The applicant was interviewed by a Licensing Enforcement Officer on 13 March 2026 when he provided an explanation in relation to the caution and confirmed that there were no outstanding matters of which the Council was unaware.

The applicant stated that he had been driving in the UK for 20 years without any accidents, incidents or convictions other than the one listed at 1).  The applicant’s explanation in relation to the offence was detailed in the report.

During interview, the applicant stated he was unaware that he had received a caution and believed nothing had been formally recorded and that he had not declared the caution on his application form as he was unaware that he had been issued with one.

In relation to the circumstances of the incident leading to the caution, the applicant had stated that he and his partner had been drinking at home when they had begun to argue.  The argument had escalated causing the applicant’s partner to call the Police.  It was highlighted to the applicant that a caution for battery required actual unlawful physical contact, however, the applicant maintained that there was no physical involved and that he did not use, or condone, physical violence.

The applicant confirmed the report as being an accurate representation of the facts and was invited to address the Committee in support of his application.  The applicant addressed the Committee in support of his application and responded to questions from Members and the Council’s Legal Representative.  The applicant’s partner also spoke in support of the applicant and responded to questions.

It was confirmed that there were no further questions and the applicant, his partner, 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 application.

Subsequently, all parties returned, and the Chair announced a summary of the Committee’s decision and highlighted that the applicant would receive the full decision and reasons within five working days.

ORDERED that the application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref No: 12/26 be refused, as follows:-

Authority to Act 

1.     Under Section 51 of the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976 (“the Act”) the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/106

The Corporate Director of Regeneration and Housing submitted an exempt report in connection with an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref: 13/26, 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 accompanied by his legal representative, verified his name and address and confirmed he had received a copy of the report and understood its contents. 

The Licensing Manager presented a summary of the report outlining that the applicant appeared before Members as a result of the offences detailed at 1) to 5) in the submitted report. 

The applicant had previously appeared before Members on 9 October 2018 with an application for a Private Hire Vehicle driver licence.  On that occasion, the Committee refused to grant the application after considering the convictions listed at 1) to 3) in the report.  A copy of the October 2018 decision letter was attached at Appendix 1.

The applicant was interviewed by a Licensing Enforcement Officer on 23 February 2026 when he provided explanations in relation to the offences listed at 1) to 5) and confirmed that there were no outstanding matters of which the Council was unaware.

During interview, the applicant reflected on his previous application which was refused in 2018 and stated that he was now a very different person and had fallen in with the wrong crowd, who he no longer associated with.  He stated that he was a family man and currently balanced running his own takeaway business with taking his children to school, supporting his wife’s business and helping to look after his parents.  He stated that the flexibility of being a taxi driver would suit his busy lifestyle.

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

The applicant’s legal representative presented the case in support of the applicant, emphasising that the first three convictions had occurred more than 16 years ago and that he was now more mature with his own family and responsibilities.  The two most recent speeding offences had occurred when he was carrying out food deliveries for his own business and he had no passengers on board.  The legal representative added that the applicant would be willing to complete a Driver Improvement Scheme if the Committee considered it appropriate.  The applicant’s legal representative advised that the applicant had brought along some character references in his support.

The Chair agreed that the references could be submitted and announced a short adjournment to allow the Committee time to read them.  At this point in the meeting, the applicant, his legal representative and officers of the Council other than those from Legal and Democratic Services, withdrew from the meeting whilst the Committee considered the references.

Subsequently all parties returned and Members were afforded the opportunity to ask questions of the applicant.  Accordingly, the applicant responded to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/107