To receive apologies for absence from Members.   

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor GW Davies MBE.

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

To receive for approval the Public Minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee of 31 May 2016.

RESOLVED:                    That the public Minutes of a meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee dated 31 May 2016, be approved as a true and accurate record.

The Senior Licensing Assistant presented a report, requesting that the Sub-Committee considers an application to grant a licence for a Private Hire Vehicle.

The Sub-Committee then adjourned the meeting, in order to inspect the vehicle in question which was situate in the Civic Offices basement car park, with exception of Councillors C James and P John, who as a consequence of this, took no part in the consideration of the application.

Upon reconvening, the Senior Licensing Assistant confirmed that application was being made by David Llewellyn, to licence a Mercedes E Class 4 door saloon vehicle registration number BP62 THF as a private hire vehicle to seat 4 persons.

She confirmed that the vehicle was pre-owned and was first registered at the DVLA on 31 January 2013.

The Senior Licensing Assistant confirmed that the application fell outside the Private Hire Vehicle Policy approved by the Licensing Committee, by virtue that it was not a new vehicle. The vehicle was not wheelchair accessible, but there were specific policy guidelines in respect of the first licensing of private hire vehicles which fell outside the policy guidelines as outlined in paragraph 4.4 of the report. The current mileage of the vehicle was 30,253. She added for Members information, that a service history had been provided, setting out a vehicle service history between 22 January 2014 and 7 December 2015, including an MOT test undertaken at 28,943 miles.

The Chairperson then asked the applicant and Officers to retire from the meeting, whilst the Sub-Committee made a decision upon the application. When they returned, it was

RESOLVED:                        The Sub-Committee considered the application made to licence vehicle registration number BP62 THF as a Private Hire Vehicle.

                                             It noted that given the age of the vehicle, it fell outside the terms of the Licensing Policy due to the requirements of paragraph 2.1, and given it was not wheelchair accessible.

                                             The Sub-Committee considered paragraph 2.2.5 of the policy, and the circumstances in which the policy could be relaxed. In this case the Sub-Committee decided to grant the application for the following reasons:-

·               The exceptional internal and exterior condition of the vehicle;

The exceptional standards of safety of the vehicle.

The report and minutes 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/or 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 of 31 May 2016.

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.

None.