The Licensing Panel of North Northamptonshire Council met on 14 July 2025, and appointed Councillor Barbara Jenney as Chair for the meeting. The panel refused an application for a Hackney Carriage Driver Licence and approved an application for Street Trading Consent, subject to the condition that the pavement is not obstructed.

Hackney Carriage Driver Licence Application

The panel refused an application for a Hackney Carriage Driver Licence after considering a report from Rita Groves, Licensing Enforcement Officer for North Northamptonshire Council. The applicant, named only as NM in the minutes, had previously held a licence that was revoked in 2022 for overcharging customers by failing to use his meter correctly, as required by law.

The panel considered Section 59 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, which states that a council shall not grant a licence unless satisfied that the applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a driver's licence.

The panel stated that:

Whilst the Panel acknowledged that the applicant had apologised for his previous conduct in overcharging passengers, the Panel did not consider it had heard or received any evidence that gave the Panel the confidence they required that the applicant would demonstrate the conduct required of a fit and proper person and comply with the conditions of a Hackney Carriage Licence.

The panel decided that no conditions, including training, could sufficiently enhance the applicant's understanding of the Hackney Carriage licensing conditions. They concluded that holding a Hackney Carriage licence is a privilege with high standards, particularly regarding public safety and passenger vulnerability, and they were not confident in approving the application.

Street Trading Consent

The panel approved an application for street trading consent for Dale Ayres to trade from Park Road, Kettering. The application requested permission to trade Monday to Friday, 14:00 to 17:00, selling ice cream and sweets.

The application received one representation from a homeowner in Park Road, Kettering. The panel approved the application with the condition that the pavement is not obstructed during trading activity.

The homeowner, whose name was redacted in the minutes, raised concerns about the location, stating:

Park Road is an exceedingly busy road at school drop off/collection times and unfortunately, we feel parking at the proposed location elevates the danger to the school children and public - both those visiting the van and those trying to navigate the pavement it is parked on.

They suggested an alternative location on Park Avenue with off-road parking and a nearby zebra crossing. The homeowner also raised concerns about encouraging unhealthy eating habits in children by having the van parked outside the school every day. They also noted that the van had already been parked in the proposed location for hours at a time, often on double yellow lines.

Despite these concerns, the panel approved the application, citing public safety as a priority and adding the condition about obstruction of the pavement.