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.

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

The minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 3 November 2025 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 a Private Hire Vehicle driver licence, with immediate effect, on 3 November 2025.

The revocation was made following a report from a witness who had observed the driver driving dangerously.  Following an interview with Licensing Officers, the driver’s licence was revoked.

NOTED

There were no urgent items to be considered.

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: 38/25, 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 Manager presented a summary of the report outlining that the applicant was previously first licensed with Middlesbrough Council in August 2005.  The applicant’s last licence was revoked by Officers on 9 October 2024 following a Common Law disclosure by Cleveland Police on 7 October 2024.

The disclosure stated that the applicant was arrested on 13 September 2024 for possession with intent to supply a Class B drug and possession of a bladed article in a public place.  The disclosure went on to state that no further action was taken in relation to the second offence.  A copy of the revocation letter was attached at Appendix 1 and it was highlighted that the applicant had declared the previous revocation on his application form.

Council records showed that the applicant was first granted a licence by the Licensing Committee, following consideration of a single offence now deemed to be too old to be considered.  He then appeared before Members in September 2009 for renewal of his licence following a further conviction now considered to be too old for consideration.  On that occasion the licence was granted with a warning.

The applicant again appeared before Members in January 2011 for review of his licence following a further conviction, now deemed to be too old for consideration.  His licence was revoked with immediate effect on the grounds of public safety.

In February 2014, the applicant appeared before Members with a fresh application due to a further Police Caution now deemed too old for consideration.  On that occasion, his licence was granted.  He was licensed continually from then until October 2024 when his licence was revoked by Officers following the disclosure by Cleveland Police.

The applicant was interviewed by Licensing Officers on 4 September 2025 when he confirmed that there were no other outstanding matters of which the Council was unaware and provided an explanation in relation to his revocation in October 2024.

It was highlighted that as an alternative to prosecution, the Police offered the applicant a drug rehabilitation course.  The applicant completed a six-week ‘Divert’ course within five weeks and a copy of a letter confirming his completion of the course was attached at Appendix 2.

Council records also showed that in 2019, the applicant was asked to undertake a drugs test by Licensing Officers.  When asked about this, the applicant could not recall whether this was as a result of a complaint or whether it was a random test.

The applicant confirmed the content of the report as being an accurate representation of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/64

The Director of Environment and Community Services submitted an exempt report in connection with an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, Ref: 39/25, 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 Manager presented a summary of the report outlining that the applicant was previously licensed with Middlesbrough Council from January to March 2024 when he surrendered his Private Hire Vehicle driver licence due to the revocation of his DVLA driving licence, as a result of the offence detailed at 1) in the submitted report.

The report highlighted that the Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995 imposed a two-year probationary period on new drivers, whereby a new driver’s DVLA licence would be revoked if they accumulated six or more penalty points in the first two years of holding a licence.  As a result, they were required to retake both the theory and practical driving tests to have their DVLA licence reinstated.

As the applicant had not held a DVLA licence for two years prior to the offence at 1), his DVLA was revoked.

The applicant was interviewed by a Licensing Enforcement Officer on 19 September 2025 and again on 13 November 2025 in relation to the offence detailed at 1).  The applicant confirmed that there were no outstanding matters of which the Council was unaware and provided an explanation in relation to the offence at 1), which related to using a mobile phone whilst driving.

The applicant confirmed that he had accepted a fixed penalty notice and six points on his licence and that he had paid the fine immediately.

The applicant had not informed the Licensing Department regarding the conviction and had subsequently been issued with a Private Hire Vehicle driver licence on 3 January 2024.  When asked why he had failed to inform the Council regarding the conviction, he stated he had informed his employer but could offer no explanation as to why he had not informed the Council.

When he had received further correspondence from the DVLA in March 2024 advising him that his driving licence had been revoked, he informed the Council and surrendered his Private Hire Vehicle driver’s licence and badge.

The applicant subsequently passed his driving theory and practical test on 11 February 2025 and his DVLA licence was reinstated.

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

The applicant spoke 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  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25/65