Meeting documents

General Purposes Committee
Wednesday, 25 October 2006 10.00am

MINUTES - General Purposes Committee 20061025 10:00

MINUTES - General Purposes Committee 20061025 10:00

Location: Council Chamber, Daneshill House, Stevenage, SG1 1

Present: Members: Councillors, H.C.L. Tessier (Chair), C. Latif (Vice-Chair), P.D. Kissane, L. Knight, JP, J. Lloyd, CC and P. Stuart

Others: Richard Evans - Head of Environmental Health and Licensing, Emma Rose - Licensing Manager, Prabhjit Sobti - Principal Solicitor, Jeff Mason -Licensing Officer, Robert Cox, Licensing Officer, Lisa Jerome - Committee Administrator amd Pat Wilkings - Committee Administrator.

Duration:
Start Time: 10.00 a.m.
End Time: 11.10 a.m.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Status: Noted

Business: Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors D.W. Cullen, CC, B. Jackson, T.G.M. Kent, M. Notley, M.P. Patston, J.A. Pickersgill and Mrs. L.G. Strange.

Decision: Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors D.W. Cullen, CC, B. Jackson, T.G.M. Kent, M. Notley, M.P. Patston, J.A. Pickersgill and Mrs. L.G. Strange.

MINUTES - Friday, 16th June, 2006

Status: Agreed

Business:

Decision: It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 16th June 2006 at 10.00 a.m., having been circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

MINUTES - Friday, 16th June, 2006

Status: Agreed

Business:

Decision: It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 16th June 2006 at 2.00 p.m., having been circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

MINUTES - Wednesday, 16th August, 2006

Status: Agreed

Business:

Decision: It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 16th August 2006 at 7.00 p.m., having been circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

URGENT PART I BUSINESS

Status: Noted

Business: None.

Decision: None.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

Status: Noted

Business:

Decision: It was RESOLVED that under Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for Items 7 and 8 below on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 - 7 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Councillor P.D. Kissane declared a personal interest as he knew the applicant and withdrew from the meeting.

REVIEW OF HACKNEY CARRIAGE DRIVER'S LICENCE

Status: Noted

Business: Prior to the start of the meeting, the Licensing Manager distributed two additional documents; A - letter from the Principle Licensing Officer to Mr K dated 5 May 2005 regarding the lifting of a suspension of Mr K's licence and B - copies of Mr K's previous applications dated from 1988 to 2006, providing proof of his failure to disclose his previous convictions.

The Licensing Officer advised the Committee that at page one of the report, paragraph 3 'Background', there had been a typing error and the following sentence should read 'It is for the following reasons that the Committee is invited to review Mr K's Hackney Carriage Driving licence' and not 'renew'.

The Chair introduced the Members, the Principal Solicitor and Committee Clerks to the applicant and explained the procedure to be followed at the meeting.

The Committee Administrator introduced the Licensing Manager, Licensing Officers and applicant to the Committee.

The Committee considered the facts of the case, as presented by the Licensing Manager. The Members of the Committee asked questions of the Licensing Manager.

The applicant presented his case verbally to the Committee. The Licensing Manager and members of the Committee asked a number of questions of the applicant.

The Licensing Manager and the applicant both made closing speeches, following which they withdrew from the meeting whilst the Committee considered the matters raised.

Following thorough consideration of the case by Members, the applicant and the Licensing Officers was invited back into the meeting to hear the Committee's decision.

Decision: It was RESOLVED:-

'That the Committee, having considered the matter carefully and taking account of all the relevant factors has decided to revoke Mr K's Hackney Carriage Driver's Licence considering him not a fit and proper person to be a Hackney Carriage driver. The Committee concluded this after establishing that the applicant had shown continued aggressive behaviour and dishonesty in failing to disclose his past convictions. The Committee concluded this in light of his recent offences and convictions and a long chain of his previous convictions of a similar nature'.

The applicant was advised that he had a right to appeal the decision within 21 days.

URGENT PART II BUSINESS

Status: Executive

Business: None.

Decision: None.

DECISIONS AND SENDING UP

Status: Noted

Business: None.

Decision: