The Speakers Panel (Licensing) of Tameside Council met to discuss two significant licensing issues. The panel granted a Private Hire (Chauffeur) Driver’s Licence to an applicant with a history of convictions, and revoked the Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence of another driver due to multiple speeding offences and failure to disclose penalty points.

Application for a Private Hire (Chauffeur) Driver's Licence

The panel reviewed an application for a Private Hire (Chauffeur) Driver’s Licence from an individual with 23 convictions dating from January 1979 to July 2015. The applicant had applied for the licence on 26 February 2024 and provided supporting documentation, including a letter from Acorn Recovery Projects regarding their drug treatment programme and a full medical summary from their GP.

The applicant expressed sincere remorse for their past actions and detailed their journey to recovery, which began in August 2019. They highlighted their involvement in voluntary work, including driving a minibus for children with special educational needs and supporting other recovering addicts across Greater Manchester. A friend of the applicant provided a character reference, emphasising the applicant’s self-awareness and positive attitude.

The panel considered the applicant’s long history of offending but noted that the pattern of behaviour ceased in 2015. They acknowledged the applicant’s efforts to reform and their current positive contributions to the community. The panel concluded that the applicant was a fit and proper person to hold a licence and granted the application.

Review of a Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Driver's Licence

The panel reviewed the fitness of a driver to hold a Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence. The driver had held these licences since 2007 and 2022, respectively. An enquiry from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) revealed that the driver had been involved in a speeding offence and had nominated a different person as the driver at the time of the offence. Further checks showed that the driver had 21 live penalty points on their DVLA licence, contrary to the 6 points they had declared.

During an interview under caution, the driver admitted to being confused about what to declare and acknowledged their failure to disclose all penalty points. The driver also admitted to providing false information to the police regarding the speeding offence. The panel found the driver’s explanations unconvincing and noted a pattern of behaviour that fell below the standard expected of a professional driver.

The panel concluded that the driver was not a fit and proper person to hold the licences due to their repeated offences and failure to be honest with the council. Consequently, the panel revoked the driver’s Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence.

For more details, you can refer to the minutes of the meeting.