The Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Regulatory Services submitted a report in order that Members could consider an application for the grant of a licence for a Hackney Carriage Vehicle, which fell outside the Council’s policy guidelines.

The Chairperson advised that the meeting should stand adjourned, in order that Members and Officers could inspect the vehicle which was situate in the basement car park of the Council Offices.

Upon returning to the meeting, the Licensing and Registration Officer confirmed that the vehicle mileage was 11,698.

She explained that the application was made by Forge Travel Ltd to licence a Hyundai 130 Tourer Este Car registration number EJ64 XJG as a hackney carriage vehicle to seat 4 persons. The date of first registration of the vehicle was 28 November 2014.

The applicant submitted the application on 23 December 2015. There were no supporting documents relating to maintenance, and the vehicle is not required to have undertaken an MOT test. The Licensing and Registration Officer further added, that the vehicle had not reached the mileage where a service was recommended, however, the current mileage was detailed above. She explained that the vehicle had had not received an MOT as it was not yet 3 years old, neither had it had a service, so there was no history of the vehicle available.

Finally, the Licensing and Registration Officer confirmed that the application fell outside the Hackney Carriage Vehicle Policy approved by the Licensing Committee, including the existing discretion to relax the hackney carriage age policy in respect of the vehicle.

The Licensing and Registration Officer referred to the Licensing Policy Guidelines as outlined in paragraph 4.4 of the report, and that provision 2.1 of the Policy was applicable in respect of this application.

Paragraph 2.2 of the Policy stated that applications for the first licensing of vehicles falling outside the above policy guidelines, would normally be refused, but a relaxation of the policy may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

She further added that the vehicle age policy, in conjunction with specifications and standards, has been developed to ensure public safety through the quality of the taxi fleet.

Mr Gareth Aimes who was present on behalf of Forge Travel Ltd, then responded to a number of routine questions from the Licensing and Registration Officer in respect of the type of vehicles subject of the application, and the scheme under which he leased these from Hyundai. He confirmed that the application had been submitted late, and outside the guidelines of the Policy, as there was a delay in delivery of the vehicles when they were being leased (as the whole fleet were from Hyundai) as opposed to when vehicles were purchased outright.

The Chairperson then asked Officers and the applicant to retire from the meeting, whilst the Sub-Committee considered the application. Upon their return, it was

RESOLVED:                  (1)   The Sub-Committee considered the application and the Council’s policy ie paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2.  The policy states that the first licensing of a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire vehicle should be submitted within 14 days of first registration of the vehicle at the DVLA.  The date of first registration of this vehicle was 28 November 2014.  The policy also states that the mileage should be no greater than 500 miles, however, the mileage on this vehicle was 11,698. The vehicle does not comply with the Licensing Policy and the Sub-Committee could find no exceptional circumstances to depart from the Policy, and therefore, the application was refused.

                                      (2)    That the applicant be advised of their right of Appeal to the above decision through the Bridgend Magistrates’ Court, within 14 days of them receiving notification of the decision