Report by Licensing Officer (attached).

Also present, the Applicant.

The Chairman introduced herself as did the Sub-Committee Members and Officers present.

The Solicitor outlined the hearing process.

The Service Licensing Lead Officer confirmed all formal requirements had been met and the application had been properly made.

The Service Licensing Lead Officer summarised the report, (circulated previously), in relation to the grant of an application for a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s Licence, (ref PFND009).

The Applicant presented his case and expanded on the circumstances that led to his convictions.

In response to a question about why he wanted to be a driver, the Applicant advised the Sub-Committee that he enjoyed interacting with people and enjoyed driving.

The Chair asked the Service Licensing Lead Officer to sum up, he had nothing further to add.

The Applicant was asked to sum up, he had nothing further to add.

The Chairman requested that the Corporate and Community Services Officer read the proposed decision, which was voted on and agreed.

In reaching its decision the Sub-Committee had regard to Section 4.12 and Appendix H (e) of the North Devon Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy (August 2016).

The Sub-Committee considered that the four convictions listed in the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check were not relevant and serious enough to justify a decision to refuse.  In particular they noted that the offences took place between 1971 and 1984 and as confirmed by the National Police Certificate of Australia he had not had any further convictions since that time.

As a result the Sub-Committee was satisfied that the Applicant was a fit and proper person to hold a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s Licence.