The Licensing and Regulatory Subcommittee of Northumberland Council met on Thursday 16 July 2026. The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application for a private hire driver's licence.

Application for a Private Hire Driver's Licence

The subcommittee was scheduled to consider an application for a private hire driver's licence, identified by Case Number 160726/471. The report pack indicated that this item would be dealt with in private session, with the press and public excluded. This exclusion was proposed under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, on the grounds that the discussion would likely involve the disclosure of exempt information. The reasons for maintaining this exemption were stated to outweigh the public interest in disclosure, with reference to paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the 1972 Act. The specific details of the application and the reasons for its private consideration were contained within pages 9 to 16 of the public reports pack.

The meeting also included standard procedural items at the beginning of Part I of the agenda, such as the election of a chair and the disclosure of members' interests. Detailed guidance was provided to members regarding the declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPIs), Other Registrable Interests, and Non-Registerable Interests, as outlined in the council's Code of Conduct and relevant regulations. This guidance explained the requirements for members to declare interests, the circumstances under which they must withdraw from discussions or the meeting entirely, and the process for managing sensitive interests. The council's Code of Conduct, which governs these declarations, aims to ensure transparency and prevent conflicts of interest in decision-making processes.