Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

The Divisional Officer, Licensing, Food and Safety advised that the report in respect of the application to licence a restricted private hire vehicle had been withdrawn. The application was approved by officers following the decision by Members at the Licensing Committee on the 27th May 2016, to authorise officers of the Licensing Section to grant vehicle licences in respect of vehicle applications that do not comply with the Council’s current age criteria for licensing vehicles, subject to the vehicle meeting all other relevant application/licensing criteria.

The Committee was requested to exclude the public from the meeting during the consideration of the items of business identified in the recommendations to the report on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as set out in the exclusion paragraph of 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation)(Wales) Order 2007, relevant to the item of business as set out in the report.

The Committee considered the Public Interest Test in deciding to exclude the public from the meeting for the items of business where the Public Interest Test was relevant, as set out in the report.

It was RESOLVED that the public be excluded for the following items of business.

(CLOSED SESSION)

The Divisional Officer, Licensing, Food and Safety, detailed the background information in respect of CIS.

Members asked questions of the Divisional Officer, Licensing, Food & Safety who responded accordingly.

CIS outlined the background details and circumstances relating to the convictions and answered Members’ questions.

RESOLVED that CIS’s application to renew his hackney carriage and private hire driver’s licence BE APPROVED and CIS be issued with a warning letter regarding future conduct.

The Divisional Officer, Licensing, Food and Safety, detailed the background information in respect of WMP.

WMP and his representative Mr Warren, outlined the background details and circumstances relating to the convictions and caution and answered Members’ questions.

RESOLVED that WMP’s hackney carriage and private hire driver’s licence BE REVOKED.

Reason for Decision

Members were not satisfied that WMP was a Fit and Proper Person to hold a licence. Although they felt that the version of events provided to the Police by WMP was the correct version, WMP had either been dishonest with the Police or with the General Licensing Committee and so dishonesty had been present.  Members believed that there had been a pattern of dishonesty with regard to previous offences which resulted in a previous suspension of WMP’s hackney carriage and private hire driver licences.  However, this had not been heeded.

The Divisional Officer, Licensing, Food and Safety, advised that OSSE had failed to attend the meeting.

The Divisional Officer, Licensing, Food and Safety, detailed the background information in respect of OSSE.

RESOLVED that:

a.    The matter be dealt with in OSSE’s absence as there had been no explanation for OSSE’s non-attendance;

b.    OSSE’s hackney carriage and private hire driver licences be renewed and that OSSE be issued with a warning letter regarding future conduct.