Agenda and minutes

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

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

The minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 2 February 2026 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

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

1.      As a result of information received from Cleveland Police that the driver had been arrested in relation to a domestic violence incident.

2.      As a result of disqualification from driving by the Courts due to dangerous driving.

3.      As a result of the driver being found to be taking controlled drugs.

NOTED

There were no urgent items to be considered.

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.

** ORDER OF BUSINESS - SUSPENSION OF COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULE No. 4.13.2

ORDERED that, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution Procedure Rules, paragraph 4.30.1(c), the Committee agreed to vary the order of business to consider the agenda items as follows: Agenda item 9 then 8.  This was to afford the witness in relation to Agenda Item 8, additional time in which to arrive.

The Corporate Director of Regeneration and Housing submitted an exempt report in connection with an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref: 2/26, 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 Principal Licensing Officer presented a summary of the report stating that the driver appeared before Members as a result of the offences detailed at 1) to 5) in the submitted report.

The applicant was previously licensed with Middlesbrough Council from January 2016 until January 2025 when his licence was revoked, with immediate effect, by Officers, following his disqualification from driving.  A copy of the revocation letter was attached at Appendix 1.

The applicant was interviewed by Licensing Officers on 22 January 2026, when he confirmed that there were no outstanding matters of which the Council was unaware.  It was highlighted that, prior to interview, the applicant was reminded of the Council’s Policy in relation to disqualification from driving and that an application would not normally be considered until a DVLA licence had been restored and there was a conviction-free period of at least five years.  The applicant confirmed he was aware of this but still wished to proceed with his application.

During the interview, the applicant offered explanations for the offences detailed at 1) to 5). 

The report also highlighted two further relevant incidents.  In May 2018 a complaint was received from a member of the public who observed the driver mounting the pavement in his Private Hire vehicle and proceeding to drive along a pedestrianised area before parking his car.  As a result of the incident, the driver was issued with a warning and ordered to complete a Driver Awareness Course which he completed in October 2018.  A copy of the warning letter was attached at Appendix 4.

In November 2018, the driver was issued with a warning regarding use of inappropriate, offensive language to a passenger.  A copy of the letter was attached at Appendix 5, however, there were no further details on Council record relating to the incident.

The report also highlighted that, in June 2025 when the applicant submitted his fresh application, he failed to declare any previous criminal or motoring convictions.  In addition, when asked whether he had any previous licences suspended, revoked or refused, he replied ‘no’.  When this was queried later by Officers, he stated he had not consciously intended to conceal his record.

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 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  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/87

The Corporate Director of Regeneration and Housing submitted an exempt report in connection with the review of Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref: 3/26, 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 Principal Licensing Officer updated the Committee that a Licensing Officer had contact the driver, via telephone, on 17 February 2026, in order to obtain clarification on several points raised during the driver’s interview (on 3 December 2025).  An email outlining that conversation and findings was sent to the Principal Licensing Officer and would be referred to in due course.  The Committee was advised that the driver had been provided with a copy of the email prior to today’s meeting and that a copy of the email would also be circulated to Members. 

The Principal Licensing Officer presented a summary of the report outlining that the driver had been licensed with Middlesbrough Council since March 2025.  His current licence was due to expire on 28 February 2026 and whilst he had applied to renew his licence, this had yet to be processed due to the current review.

The driver appeared before Members for review of his licence as a result of safeguarding concerns raised by the step-mother of a 16-year-old autistic female student following a journey on 25 November 2025 from her home address to a local college.

On 28 November 2025 the Licensing Department received a report from the driver’s operator notifying them of an incident on 25 November 2025 involving the student and the driver.  It was alleged that the driver made inappropriate sexual comments to the student during the journey and a copy of the report was attached at Appendix 1.

A Tutor at the college subsequently notified the Licensing Department of the incident, stating that a member of staff had overheard a conversation between the student and another student regarding the incident and had obtained an account from the student.  The Tutor provided an email on 3 December 2025 outlining the college’s findings.  A copy of the email was attached at Appendix 2.

The driver was interviewed by Licensing Officers in relation to the allegations on 3 December 2025.  A copy of the interview note was attached at Appendix 3.

On 17 December 2025, Officers obtained a statement from the student, in the presence of her step-mother, detailing her recollection of the incident.  A copy of the statement was attached at Appendix 4.  The witness and her step-mother had been invited to attend the Licensing Committee.

The report also outlined details of an incident on 6 November 2025 when Officers issued the driver with a warning following a complaint by a resident in relation to inappropriate parking on 13 September 2025.  The driver was also warned against  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/88