To receive apologies for absence (to include reasons, where appropriate) from

Members/Officers.

 Apologies for absence were received from the following Members for the reasons so    stated:

Councillor G W Davies – Other Council Business

Councillor P N John – Other Council Business.

To receive for approval the public Minutes of a meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee held on 3 March 2015.

RESOLVED:               That the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee (B) of 3 March 2015 were approved as a true and accurate record.     

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008.

None.

The Senior Licensing Assistant submitted a report regarding an application by Forge Travel Limited to licence a Mercedes-Benz ML350 AMG Sport Bluetec Auto, vehicle registration number KM63 VUC as a private hire vehicle to seat four persons.  The vehicle is pre-owned and was first registered at the DVLA on 8 January 2014.  There was no service history or MOT certificate as the vehicle had not reached the required mileage or age

The applicant was present in support of the application and the Sub-Committee adjourned the meeting in order to view the vehicle.

On inspecting the vehicle, the mileage was confirmed as being 17,324 miles.

The applicant informed the Sub-Committee that his business operated a fleet of 30 vehicles and undertook school contracts with Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Councils.  He intended to use the vehicle for school contract work where he picked up pupils from remote farms.  He also intended to use the vehicle to convey passengers to join cruise ships as part of contracts the business has with a number of travel agents across South Wales.  He informed the Sub-Committee that the vehicle did not have a service history as this was stored on the vehicle’s computer.       

The Senior Licensing Assistant informed the Committee that the application fell outside the Policy guidelines for the first licensing of vehicles and which would normally be refused; however, a relaxation of the Policy may be considered in exceptional circumstances. 

          The Sub-Committee retired to consider the application further and on their return it was:

RESOLVED:               That the Sub-Committee considered the application to licence a      Mercedes-Benz ML350 AMG Sport Bluetec Auto, vehicle registration number KM63 VUC as a private hire vehicle to seat four persons and granted the application in view of the exceptional condition of the vehicle.     

The Senior Licensing Assistant submitted a report regarding an application by Mr James Bickerstaff licence an Audi A4, vehicle registration number PE61 DZP as a private hire vehicle to seat four persons.  The vehicle is pre-owned and was first registered at the DVLA on 16 September 2011.  The applicant had provided a service history and MOT certificate for the vehicle. 

The applicant was present in support of the application and the Sub-Committee adjourned the meeting in order to view the vehicle.

On inspecting the vehicle, the mileage was confirmed as being 90,523 miles.

The applicant informed the Sub-Committee that he works for Driven Taxis in Porthcawl undertaking mostly local work with occasional airport work.  He had sold his previous private hire vehicle, a Vauxhall Insignia to a colleague.         

The Senior Licensing Assistant informed the Committee that the application fell outside the Policy guidelines for the first licensing of vehicles and which would normally be refused; however, a relaxation of the Policy may be considered in exceptional circumstances. 

The Sub-Committee retired to consider the application further and on their return it was:

RESOLVED:               That the Sub-Committee considered the application to licence an Audi A4, vehicle registration number PE61 DZP as a private hire vehicle to seat four persons and granted the application in view of the exceptional condition of the vehicle.

The minutes and reports relating to the following items are not for publication as they

contain exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 of Part 4 and/or Paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation)(Wales) Order 2007.

If following the application of the public interest test the Committee resolves pursuant to the Act to consider these items in private, the public will be excluded from the meeting during such consideration.

RESOLVED:              That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as they contain exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 12 of Part 4 and Paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

                        Following the application of the public interest test it was resolved that pursuant to the Act referred to above to consider the following items in private, with the public excluded from the meeting, as it was considered that in all the circumstances relating to the items, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information, because the information would be prejudicial to the applicants.

To receive for approval the exempt Minutes of a meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee held on 3 March 2015.

To consider any other item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Rule 4 of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.