Agenda item

To consider a report by the Head of Planning and Public Protection (copy enclosed) seeking members’ approval of procedures, including officer delegations, for dealing with applications.

RESOLVED that –

(a)     the eight hackney carriage and private hire procedures (as detailed in the appendix to the report) be approved with effect from 1 August 2013, and

(b)     the delegations as detailed within the procedures be approved to form part of the scheme of delegation with effect from 1 August 2013.

The Licensing Officer (NJ) submitted a report by the Head of Planning and Public Protection (previously circulated) seeking members’ approval of eight procedures, including officer delegations, for dealing with applications for hackney carriage and private hire licensing.

An extensive review of the licensing regime had been undertaken with a view to ensuring that licensing processes were as robust as possible and that the public travelled safely and received a good level of service.  The draft procedures had also been scrutinised by a Licensing Legal Specialist and covered the following –

·         Expired Insurance and Compliance Documents

·         Grant/Renewal of a Private Hire Operator Licence

·         Grant/Renewal of a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licence

·         Grant/Renewal of a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver Licence

·         Suspension/Revocation of a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver Licence

·         Suspension/Revocation of a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licence

·         Transfer of interest/replacement vehicle of a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licence

·         Notification of a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Conviction

The Chair commented that the procedures were very comprehensive and acknowledged the hard work carried out to review them.

RESOLVED that –

(a)       the eight hackney carriage and private hire procedures (as detailed in the appendix to the report) be approved with effect from 1 August 2013, and

(b)       the delegations as detailed within the procedures be approved to form part of the scheme of delegation with effect from 1 August 2013.