Agenda item

The Applicant and supporter were in attendance.

The Licensing Officer outlined the background to the application as follows:

•          The Applicant was applying for a renewal of Private Hire Driver and Hackney Carriage Licences;

•          The Applicant had held the Hackney Carriage Licence since 2002 and Private Hire Licence since 2014;

•          When submitting his application for renewal he failed to declare 3 speeding offences from February 2017; April 2017 and March 2018;

•          The Licensing office had advised him that this was false declaration and he confirmed he had not intended to hide the information;

•          His previous history consisted of 5 traffic convictions and 2 enforcement complaints relating to the misuse of a blue badge and parking in a disabled bay.

The Licensing Officer drew the Committee’s attention to the Policy Guidance relating to minor traffic offences and the legislation referring to a fit and proper person and recommended that the application be refused in line with Council Policy.

Following questions from the Committee, the Licensing Officer confirmed that the Council Policy referred to 12 or more points and the applicant only had 9, but he had also failed to declare the convictions as soon as possible in accordance with the conditions of his previous licences.

The Applicant presented his case as follows:

•          He had been working for Bristol City Council since 2002 and this was the first time he had any issues with the Council;

•          He struggled with literacy and so he needed someone else to help fill out forms;

•          He was dependent on his licences to make a living to support his disabled wife and four children;

•          He wife was disabled and that was why he had been using a blue badge and parked in a disabled bay;

•          He accepted that he had made a mistake by speeding and not declaring the convictions.

The Applicant’s supporter, a former colleague, confirmed that he had worked with him for five years providing a taxi service to special schools and that he had always been reliable and of good character.

In response to questioning, the Applicant confirmed that:

•          he did not know that he had to inform the Licensing Office about his convictions;

•          most of the speeding incidents had taken place in 20mph areas.

At this point in the meeting the Licensing Officers, Applicant and his supporter withdrew from the meeting while the Committee considered the application.  Everyone returned to the meeting to hear the decision.

RESOLVED – that an application for a renewal of a Private Hire Driver and Hackney Carriage Licences be granted for the following reason:

The applicant had 9 points and not the 12 points as specified in the Council Policy and although he had not declared these convictions, the Committee understood that this was not intentional and may be due to his literacy difficulties.  The Committee also took into account the Applicant’s personal circumstances and that the use of a blue badge was to support his disabled wife.  The Committee advised the Applicant to be careful in the future in avoiding further speeding convictions as if he were to receive another 3 points, this would need to be referred back to the Committee.  He was also advised to take the responsibility for filling out renewal forms and declaring all convictions.