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.

Councillor David Lewis declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 6 – Application to Licence Private Hire Vehicle, as he knew the driver of the vehicle and was aware of the applicant and so withdrew from the meeting for consideration of this item.

To receive for approval the public Minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Sub-Committee of 14 February 2017

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the Licensing Sub-Committee of   14 February 2017 be approved as a true and accurate record.

The Team Manager Licensing submitted a report regarding an application by Mr David Llewellyn to licence a Mercedes E Class E220 CDI Auto Saloon vehicle registration number SL14 XDX as a private hire vehicle to seat 4 persons.

Mr Llewellyn attended in support of his application and the Sub-Committee adjourned the meeting in order to view the vehicle. On inspecting the vehicle, the mileage was confirmed as 16,550 miles. The Team Manager Licensing informed the Sub-Committee that the application fell outside the Private Hire Vehicle Policy, but a relaxation may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

The Applicant provided evidence that a second service had been carried out on the vehicle on 4 July 2016 and the mileage at that time was 10,495. If the licence was granted, the vehicle would be used for long distance, airport and intercity transfers. An MOT certificate was not required until 1 June 2017.    

RESOLVED:            The Sub-Committee heard the application to licence a Mercedes E Class E220 CDI Auto Saloon vehicle registration number SL14 XDX as a private hire vehicle to seat 4 persons. Given the age of the vehicle the Sub-Committee noted the application fell outside the private hire vehicle policy, but noted the policy guidelines regarding the first licensing of private hire vehicles which fell outside the policy guidelines.

                                Under paragraph 2.2.5 a licence could be granted in exceptional circumstances and in this case such circumstances were met for the following reasons:

1)    the exceptional interior and exterior quality,

2)    the exceptional standards of safety,

as such the Sub-Committee granted the licence.       

The Team Manager Licensing submitted a report regarding an application by Mr Michael Anderson to licence a BMW 318i vehicle registration YR10 HRO as a private hire vehicle to seat 4 persons. 

Mr Anderson attended in support of his application and the Sub-Committee adjourned the meeting in order to view the vehicle. On inspecting the vehicle, the mileage was confirmed as 94,095 miles. The Team Manager Licensing informed the Sub-Committee that the application fell outside the Private Hire Vehicle Policy approved by the Licensing Committee.

For Members information, a service history had been provided confirming servicing of the vehicle in January 2017 at 92973 miles, and 26 August 2015 at 74249 miles and on 26 January 2012 at 19556 miles.  BMW service vehicle health checks were also undertaken at 39922 miles in December 2013, at 54127 miles on 31 July 2014, at 59460 miles on 23 October 2014.  There was a current MOT certificate in place expiring on 29 July 2017. Mr Anderson confirmed that the timing chain had been replaced at 75,000 miles and the vehicle was 7 years old.

The Applicant explained that if the licence was granted, the vehicle would be used for private hire.

RESOLVED:         The Sub-Committee heard the application to licence a BMW 318i vehicle registration YR10 HRO as a private hire vehicle to seat 4 persons.

                              The Sub-Committee noted that due to the age of the vehicle it fell outside the private hire vehicle policy, but noted the policy guidelines regarding the first licensing of private hire vehicles which fell outside the policy guidelines.

                              Under paragraph 2.2.5 a licence could be granted in exceptional circumstances and in this case such circumstances were met for the following reasons:

1.      the exceptional standards of safety,

2.      regular servicing of the vehicle,

                              as such, the Sub-Committee granted the licence.        

The Team Manager Licensing submitted a report regarding an application by Parrott Motors Ltd to licence a silver Mercedes Vito 114 Tourer vehicle registration number YL16 SYZ as a private hire vehicle to seat 8 persons. 

Mr Knott attended 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 14,651 miles. The Team Manager Licensing informed the Sub-Committee that the application fell outside the Private Hire Vehicle Policy approved by the Licensing Committee.

The applicant explained that the vehicle previously belonged to Enterprise Hire and that when the vehicle was purchased, he was advised that a full service history was available on line. When he had attempted to access the service history, it was not available because the vehicle had not yet reached the required mileage for a service. An MOT certificate would not be required until June 2019. The applicant confirmed that Parrott vehicles were serviced on a daily basis by the onsite maintenance team.

 RESOLVED:        The Sub-Committee heard the application to licence a silver Mercedes Vito 114 Tourer vehicle registration YL16 SYZ as a private hire vehicle to seat 8 persons.

                              The Sub-Committee noted that as it was the first licensing of private hire vehicles it fell outside the policy guidelines regarding the first licensing of private hire vehicles which fall outside the policy guidelines.

                              Under paragraph 2.2.5 a licence could be granted in exceptional circumstances and in this case such circumstances were met for the following reasons:

1.        exceptional interior and exterior quality,

2.        the exceptional standards of safety,

                               as such, the sub-committee grants the licence.        

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.

The 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 contained exempt information as defined in Paragraph 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 so mentioned.     

To receive for approval the exempt minutes of the Licensing Sub-Committee of 14 February 2017.