LICENSING COMMITTEE

 

MINUTES of a meeting held on 1st July 2008.

 

Present: Councillor J.W. Thomas (Chairman); Councillor C.L. Osborne (Vice-Chairman); Councillors Mrs. S.M. Bagstaff, J. Clifford, G.A. Cox, Mrs. V.L. Ellis, C.P.J. Elmore, E. Hacker, A.D. Hampton, Mrs. V.M. Hartrey, K. Hatton, N. Moore and Mrs. A.J. Preston.

 

 

90        APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE -

 

These were received from Councillor Ms. M.E. Alexander and Mrs. M. Wilkinson.

 

 

91        MINUTES OF LICENSING SUB-COMMITTEES -

 

RESOLVED - T H A T the minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Sub-Committee held on 27th May 2008 and 2nd June 2008 be noted.

 

 

92        MINUTES -

 

RESOLVED - T H A T the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 29th April 2008 be approved subject to an amendment to the wording as follows:

 

Minute 1064: Proposed New Conditions for Hackney Carriage Vehicles -

 

Condition 42 - The wording to read “a frequency scanner or CB radio shall not be fitted into or carried within any vehicle”.

 

 

93        DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST -

 

No declarations of interest were received.

 

           

94        APPLICATION TO VARY THE HACKNEY CARRIAGE FARES TARIFF (DLPPHS) -

 

The Vale of Glamorgan Council regulated the maximum fares that could be charged to passengers in Hackney Carriages within the Vale of Glamorgan area.  This was in accordance with Section 65(1) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.  The last increase in the Hackney Carriage Fares Tariff came into effect on 8th August 2006.  At that time, the Hackney Carriage Fares Tariff had not changed since 20th June 2001.

 

Two letters had been received to request an increase in the Hackney Carriage Fares Tariff.  These were received by the Licensing Section from Mr. Steve Thomas, Chairman of the A2B Taxi Forum, and Mr. Peter Williams of the Taxi Consultative Panel. 

 

Where a district council made or varied a table of fares they should publish in at least one newspaper circulated in the district a notice setting out the table of fares or the variation thereof and specifying the period, which should not be less than 14 days from the date of the first publication of the notice, within which and the manner in which objections to the table of fares or variations could be made.  If no objection to a table or variation was duly made within the period specified in the notice, or if all objections made were withdrawn, the table of fares or variation would come into operation on the date of the expiration of the period specified in the notice or the date of withdrawal of the objection or, if more than one, of the last objection whichever was the latest.

 

RESOLVED -

 

(1)       T H A T a variation to the Table of Fares as outlined below be approved:

 

Tariff 1

First ½ of a mile or part thereof

For each subsequent one-tenth of a mile or part thereof

Waiting Time - Applies to all tariffs at £15 per hour based on units of a second

Extra Charges (for all tariffs)

 

 

£2.60

£0.18

 

 

Nil

Tariff 2

11.00pm - 6.00am - Evenings, Sundays and Bank Holidays

First ½ of a mile or part thereof

For each subsequent one-tenth of a mile or part thereof

 

 

 

£2.80

£0.21

Tariff 3

6.00pm 24th December to 6.00am 27th December

6.00pm 31st December to 6.00am 2nd January

 

 

DOUBLE

TARIFF 1

Tariff 4 (For MPVs and Minibuses carrying 5 to 8 Passengers)

First ½ of a mile or part thereof

For each subsequent one-tenth of a mile or part thereof

 

 

 

£3.10

£0.23

Tariff 5 (For MPVs and Minibuses carrying 5 to 8 Passengers)

11.00pm - 6.00am - Evenings, Sundays and Bank Holidays

First ½ of a mile or part thereof

For each subsequent one-tenth of a mile or part thereof

 

 

 

 

£3.50

£0.26

 

Tariff 5 (For MPVs and Minibuses carrying 5 to 8 Passengers)

6.00pm 24th December to 6.00am 27th December

6.00pm 31st December to 6.00am 2nd January

 

Maximum Charge for cleansing the interior of the vehicle

 

 

DOUBLE

TARIFF 4

 

£60.00

 

(2)       T H A T officers be instructed to publish a notice in accordance with Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, a variation to the Table of Fares as outlined above.

 

 

95        APPLICATION TO INSTALL CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION IN HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES (DLPPHS) -

 

Mr. Iqbal Miah had written to request the Committee’s approval to fit a CCTV system to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles operated by 1st Line Cars Ltd.  The proprietor of every vehicle had to make an application in relation to alterations and signage on their own vehicles and identical letters had been received from all 18 proprietors affected by the request.

 

At the meeting of 29th April 2008, the Committee approved a number of amendments to the conditions which related to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles licensed by the Authority.  These conditions would not take effect until 5th January 2009.  Condition 43 of the amended conditions for Hackney Carriages covered the necessary issues concerning CCTV.  It was noted that any amendment to conditions could only be attached on renewal of licence. 

 

RESOLVED - T H A T permission for CCTV to be installed in the following vehicles be granted and conditions of licence regarding the fitting of CCTV be attached on the renewal of licence for the applicants listed below:

 

 

Applicant

Licence Number

Vehicle Registration

1

M Sumon

HC062

CK07FNS

2

S A Shipu

HC075

LR03CHV

3

S Miah

HC018

OU54EFW

4

K Hassan

HC025

NA53VZN

5

S Ahmed

HC054

EX08AYE

6

S Miah

HC046

T571RWK

7

K Ihbashen

HC083

DK07BGU

8

J Ullah

HC031

WG55CYA

9

S Ali

HC041

SM03LPF

10

J Miah

HC037

BU04FML

11

N Ahmed

HC048

ND52FWL

12

M R Ali

HC020

EU53FPA

13

R Jebhai

HC044

Y916GWO

14

S Ahmed

HC074

SD56NYP

15

Y Hassan

HC121

WU04UYY

16

S Ahmed

HC112

DA06OKF

17

K Ahmed

HC101

EK08ONV

18

Soraffat Ali

Hc024

SH56KWS

 

 

96        APPLICATION FOR A STREET TRADING CONSENT - THE ESPLANADE, PENARTH, J. WYLLIS (DLPPHS) -

 

An application for a Street Trading Consent had been received from Mrs. Jill Wyllis to trade on The Esplanade, Penarth in connection with the Penarth Holiday Festival.  The application was for the applicant to sell donuts, tea, coffee and soft drinks on 12th July 2008, between the hours of 1.00pm and 11.00pm.  Consultations had taken place and no objections had been received from Environmental Health and South Wales Fire Service.  Responses were awaited from South Wales Police and Highways Department.  The application fee of £10 had been paid and the balance of any fee was to be determined by the Licensing Committee and should include the administrative and enforcement costs of street trading provisions. 

 

RESOLVED - T H A T the application by Mrs. Jill Wyllis to trade on The Esplanade, Penarth on 12th July 2008 between the hours of 1.00pm and 11.00pm be granted and a balance of fee in the sum of £150 be paid.

 

 

97        APPLICATION FOR A STREET TRADING CONSENT - THE ESPLANADE, PENARTH, CAROLYN JANE MEAD (DLPPHS) -

 

An application for a Street Trading Consent had been received from Carolyn Jane Mead to trade on The Esplanade, Penarth, in connection with the Penarth Holiday Festival.  The application was for the applicant to sell handmade cards and dolls on 12th July 2008 between the hours of 1.00pm and 11.00pm.  Consultations had taken place and responses had not yet been received from South Wales Police or the Highways Department and representations had been received from the South Wales Fire Service but these would be addressed if the application were approved.  The application fee of £10 had been received and the balance of any fee would be determined by the Licensing Committee and should include the administrative and enforcement costs of street trading provisions.

 

RESOLVED - T H A T the application by Carolyn Jane Mead to trade on The Esplanade, Penarth, on 12th July 2008 between the hours of 1.00pm and 11.00pm be granted and a balance of fee in the sum of £40 be paid.

 

 

98        APPLICATION FOR A STREET TRADING CONSENT - THE ESPLANADE, PENARTH, A.T. GAMBIN (DLPPHS) -

 

An application for a Street Trading Consent had been received from Andrey’s Thomas Gambin to trade on The Esplanade, Penarth, in connection with the Penarth Holiday Festival.  The application was for the applicant to sell hot food and drink on 12th July 2008 between the hours of 11.00am and 10.00pm.  Consultations had taken place and a response had only been received from the South Wales Fire Service and any concerns would be addressed prior to the application being approved.  The application fee of £10 had been paid and the balance of any fee was to be determined by the Licensing Committee and should include the administrative and enforcement costs of street trading provisions.

 

RESOLVED - T H A T the application by Andrey’s Thomas Gambin to trade on The Esplanade, Penarth, on 12th July 2008 between the hours of 11.00am and 10.00pm be granted and a balance of fee in the sum of £150 be paid.

 

 

99        APPLICATION FOR STREET TRADING CONSENTS - THE ESPLANADE, PENARTH (DLPPHS) -

 

Applications had been received from a number of artists to display and sell their own artworks on The Esplanade, Penarth, for a period 3rd July 2008 to 13th July 2008, but excluding 12th July 2008.  This would form part of the Penarth Holiday Festival.  Each application for a Street Trading Consent had to be considered separately and in each case it would be necessary to identify whether an application fee was payable and whether there would be a balance of fee payable and the amount.

 

In accordance with the table of fees approved for Street Trading Consents on 18th September 2007, applicants would have been required to pay an application fee of £45 for each individual application. 

 

The Council’s Director of Legal, Public Protection and Housing Services had instructed Licensing Officers to accept applications from each of the artists without the fee previously agreed by Committee.  It was recommended by the Director that Committee determine whether an application fee in relation to these applications be payable by each individual applicant on this occasion only.  Officers had delegated authority to grant such consents where consultees raised no objections but did not have delegated authority to set a fee for the consent. 

 

A letter had been received by the Licensing Section from Shân Bowden, Town Clerk of Penarth Town Council, to request that she be permitted to make representation on behalf of the applicants.  Shân indicated that the artists had asked for both the application fee and the approval fee for the consent to be waived.  The exhibition had formed part of the Penarth Festival for more than 30 years and it added interest to the Festival and attracted residents and visitors during this period.  The artists who displayed their work were all amateurs, many retired, others housewives who painted as a pastime or hobby.  Each artist was able to display a small number of artworks for sale but this did not guarantee that any sales would be made.  The exhibition during the Penarth Festival Week was a focal point and for some of the artists was the only opportunity for them as a local amateur and part time artist to display their work.  The event was not seen as a money spinner but as a community event that brightened up The Esplanade and added variety to the Penarth Summer Festival.

 

No application fees had been taken and any fee set should take into consideration the costs associated with the administration and enforcement of such activities.

 

RESOLVED -

 

(1)       T H A T the applications by the individuals listed below for Street Trading Consents to sell paintings, drawings and art work between 3rd July 2008 to 13th July 2008 but excluding 12th July 2008 be granted and a total fee of £50 be paid for each application:

 

            Michelle Chick

            Helen Davies

            Margaret Davies

            Yvonne Falcon

            Angela Francis

            Mel Gape

            Martin Harvey

            Juliet Angela Higgins

            Dorothy Joy James

            Gwyneth Jones

            Christine Jenkins

            Sheila Jones

            Judith Laugharne

            Maureen P Lush

            Anne Constance Mealing

            Robert Petersen

            Beryl Rowlands

            Jacqueline Ryan

            Brenda Shepherd

            Angela Joyce Snowdon

            Lois Stewart

            Jean Sweet

            Eileen Turner

            Justin Philip Webb

            Margaret Wilding

            Anne Williams

            Catherine E Williams

            David Murray Edwards Williams

           

(2)       T H A T no future Street Trading Applications be accepted by the Licensing Section without an appropriate fee.

 

(3)       T H A T Licensing Officers prepare a further report for Committee in respect of various fee structures and process for different types of Street Trading Applications for charitable / non-profit making applicants.


 

100     EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC -

 

RESOLVED - T H A T under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 4 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Act, the relevant paragraphs of the Schedule being referred to in brackets after the minutes heading.

 

 

101     APPLICATION FOR HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER’S LICENCES NI (DLPPHS) (EXEMPT INFORMATION PARAGRAPHS 12, 13 AND 14) -

 

NI attended the meeting to be interviewed by the Committee to determine whether he was deemed to be a fit and proper person to hold Vale of Glamorgan Council Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver’s Licences.  NI confirmed that he had received the relevant papers and the Legal Officer outlined the procedure to be followed.  NI had applied to be licensed as a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle driver on 24th September 2002.  The Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver’s Licence was renewed three times until expiry on 26th September 2006.  A letter had been sent to NI on 2nd October 2006 to confirm that a full application would be required to obtain a new licence and to request that NI return his badge to the Council and this was received on 4th October 2006. 

 

A letter had been sent to NI on 23rd October 2006 to explain that it had come to the attention of the Council that he had driven a licensed Private Hire Vehicle between the dates of 27th September 2006 and 3rd October 2006 when he was not in possession of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver’s Licences.  NI was invited to attend a formal interview on 4th December 2006 to establish the facts of the case.  NI did not attend the interview on 4th December and a further interview was arranged for 20th December 2006 which the applicant also did not attend.  A further opportunity was given to the applicant to address the intended interview questions in writing within 7 days of receipt of the letter and no response was received.  There were no further communications with NI in relation to the above matter and the Licensing Section were unable to proceed with the matter.  At the time of the alleged offence NI had been driving a taxi for A2B Ltd. 

 

After careful consideration of the facts of the report and hearing from NI, it was

 

RESOLVED - T H A T NI be considered a fit and proper person and he be granted Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver’s Licences and he be issued with a written warning as to his future conduct. 

 

 

102     INFORMATION REPORT JH (DLPPHS) (EXEMPT INFORMATION PARAGRAPHS 12, 13 AND 14) -

           

On 6th May 2008 JH attended the Licensing Section to renew her Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles Driver’s Licences which were due to expire on 11th May 2008.  The applicant attended the Licensing Section in a motorised type, sit on disabled scooter.  JH advised that she was waiting for a hospital appointment and an operation on the tendons in her legs.  JH was made aware that it was a condition of her Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s Licences that she was able to offer reasonable assistance to passengers.  JH stated at that time she was not able to drive a vehicle and therefore did not need a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s Licence for the time being.  Officers using delegated powers immediately advised JH in writing that her Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s Licence had been suspended with immediate effect, pending receipt of a satisfactory medical report.

 

RESOLVED - T H A T the position be noted.

 

 

103     INFORMATION REPORT HR (DLPPHS) (EXEMPT INFORMATION PARAGRAPHS 12, 13 AND 14) -

 

On 2nd June 2008 officers received information from South Wales Police that HR had been arrested and interviewed and had been bailed until the matter had been considered by the Crown Prosecution Service.  The nature of the complaint was such that officers took legal advice and acted immediately on that advice.  On 3rd June 2008, officers using delegated powers, advised HR in writing that pending the outcome of the allegation made against him, his Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s Licences had been suspended effective immediately. 

 

RESOLVED - T H A T the position be noted.

 

 

104     INFORMATION REPORT MAS (DLPPHS) (EXEMPT INFORMATION PARAGRAPHS 12, 13 AND 14) -

 

On 12th February 2008 officers received information from South Wales Police that MAS had been arrested and charged with a serious offence.  The nature of the complaint was such that officers took legal advice and acted immediately on that advice.  On 12th February 2008, officers using delegated powers, advised MAS in writing that pending the outcome of the charge, his Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s Licences had been suspended with immediate effect.  On 17th June 2008 MAS appeared at Cardiff Crown Court where he was found not guilty of the charges brought against him.  The suspension of MAS’ Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s Licences was lifted on 17th June 2008.

 

RESOLVED - T H A T the position be noted.