Agenda item

To consider a confidential report by the Head of Planning and Public Protection (copy enclosed) seeking members’ determination of an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Licence.

RESOLVED that the application for a Private Hire Vehicle Licence be granted subject to the additional conditions as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

A report by the Head of Planning and Public Protection (previously circulated) was submitted upon –

(i)            an application having been received for a Private Hire Vehicle Licence;

(ii)          officers having not been in a position to grant the application as the vehicle presented for licensing did not comply with the Council’s policy with regard to the five year age limit for vehicles licensed under a new application;

(iii)         additional conditions being applicable to the licensing of specialist vehicle types such as the one presented in this case together with photographs of the vehicle subject of the application, and

(iv)         the Applicant having been invited to attend the meeting in support of the application and to answer members’ questions thereon.

The Applicant was in attendance and confirmed he had received the report and committee procedures.

The Licensing Officer presented the report and drew attention to the Council’s policy which specified that vehicles subject of a new application must be no older than five years.  As the vehicle subject of the application was thirteen years old it did not comply with current specifications.  Members were asked to consider the Applicant’s request to depart from the Council’s policy and grant the application.

The Applicant advised of his intention to substitute a different vehicle for licensing but on reflection he confirmed his original vehicle licence application, details of which had been contained within the committee report.  In presenting his case the Applicant advised that he was a well-known and established operator of limousines for specialist private hire purposes catering for special occasions such as weddings, christenings, etc.  He acknowledged the reasoning behind the introduction of an age limit for general hackney carriage and private hire vehicle licensing but submitted that the restriction had a disproportionate effect on his business and its viability given the nature and type of business operated and also created a barrier to upgrading existing licensed vehicles which had occurred in this case.  He elaborated upon the merits of the proposed vehicle for licensing and provided evidence of maintenance and service schedules together with assurances regarding high vehicle standards.  Finally he called for the removal of the age limit for specialist vehicle types, such as stretch limousines, in the Council’s policy.

At this juncture the committee adjourned to consider the application and it was –

RESOLVED that the application for a Private Hire Vehicle Licence be granted subject to the additional conditions as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

The reasons for the Licensing Committee’s decision were as follows –

Members had carefully considered the case put forward by the Applicant and noted that he was a long standing responsible operator of specialist high quality private hire vehicles for specific purposes.  Having taken into account the nature and type of business operated by the Applicant and specific services provided, and having considered the proposed vehicle for licensing to be in pristine condition, members agreed that a case had been made to deviate from their age limit policy in this instance and grant the application as applied for, subject to the additional conditions applicable to the specialist vehicle type.  With regard to the call for a change in the age limit policy relating to specialist vehicles, members reaffirmed their existing policy with each application to be considered on its own merits.

The Committee’s decision and reasons therefore were conveyed to the Applicant.