Miscellaneous Licensing Committee - 26 June 2026

Here is a summary of the Cornwall Council Miscellaneous Licensing Committee meeting, based on the minutes provided.

The committee considered two applications for Hackney Carriage vehicle licences that did not meet the Council's Policy Specifications. In the first case, involving a Toyota Noah Voxy (registration ME17 EEM), the applicant requested a departure from policy to allow the vehicle to carry 6 passengers. However, the committee noted that the rear seat width measured only 47 inches, falling below the policy requirement of at least 16 inches per seat. After inspecting the vehicle, members concluded the back row was below specification and that plugging in seatbelts would be difficult. The motion to grant the application was lost, and the committee subsequently refused the application, stating that no exceptional circumstances were present to justify a departure from the policy.

In the second vehicle application, for a Ford S Max (registration EK67 SUO), the committee found that the legroom in the middle seat of the second row measured only 5 inches due to the console. Members inspected the vehicle and considered this insufficient for passenger comfort and safety. The committee also noted that the legroom in the back row could not compensate when all six seats were in use. The application was refused, with the committee concluding that the vehicle was not suitable in type, size, or design for public use, and that no exceptional circumstances warranted a departure from the policy.

The committee then moved into private session to consider two driver licence applications. In the first, application CD299 for a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver's Licence was granted. The committee noted the applicant's history as a licensed driver and a previous conviction for driving without insurance, which had resulted in 6 penalty points that had since expired. After applying the "fit and proper person" test, members concluded the applicant was suitable to hold a licence.

In the second driver case, the committee reviewed the licences of two drivers. For applicant WD234, the committee revoked the licence with immediate effect. The decision was based on the driver's failure to disclose 3 penalty points for a speeding offence, and for making explicit and inappropriate comments on a social media post. Members concluded the driver was not a fit and proper person. For applicant WD235, the committee suspended the licence for 3 months. This followed a drug-driving conviction resulting in a 12-month ban, a speeding conviction, and a failure to disclose these matters. The committee found the driver had not acted with honesty and integrity.