Miscellaneous Licensing Committee - 2 April 2026

The meeting began with the Democratic Officer’s report on the emergency evacuation and related domestic procedures, and the clerk confirmed that no member declared a conflict of interest. The Committee formally approved the minutes of the Miscellaneous Licensing Committee (6 March 2026) and the Urgent Driver/Operator/Vehicle Sub‑Committee (20 March 2026), both to be signed by the Chairman. In accordance with the Local Government Act 1972, the Chairman, seconded by Councillor Moorcroft, resolved that the press and public be excluded from the consideration of specific agenda items that involved the disclosure of exempt personal information.

The first licensing application considered was that of WD223 for a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle driver’s licence. The applicant attended with his legal representative and two family members and was given the opportunity to speak. A motion to grant the licence, moved by Councillor Hanlon and seconded by Councillor Pascoe, was defeated after a vote and the Chairman’s casting vote. A subsequent motion to refuse the licence, moved by Councillor Ball and seconded by Councillor Emery, was passed on the Chairman’s casting vote. The Committee cited the applicant’s previous disqualification (28 days in July 2023), failure to disclose that disqualification, and a history of penalty points as evidence that he was not a “fit and proper” person. The refusal had already been upheld by the Magistrates’ Court on 10 February 2026, and the appeal process confirmed the Council’s decision.

The second application, from WD224, was also heard in person, with the applicant representing himself. Councillor Pascoe moved, and Councillor Ball seconded, a resolution to refuse the licence. The Committee noted that the applicant had not disclosed nine penalty points on his DVLA record, exceeding the seven‑point threshold set out in the Council’s Statement of Practices, Procedures and Policy. The Committee also raised concerns about the applicant’s medical report, which indicated a recent history of alcohol dependence, and concluded that the applicant had not acted with the required honesty and integrity. Consequently, the application was refused on the grounds that the applicant was not a fit and proper person to hold a licence.

In summary, the Committee approved the relevant committee minutes, upheld the exclusion of the public for confidential matters, and rejected two applications for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle driver’s licences on the basis of fitness, properness, and non‑disclosure of material information. No further action was recorded for these applications, and the decisions were formally entered into the meeting record.