The Fenland Council Licensing Sub-Committee is scheduled to convene to address a single agenda item. The primary focus of the meeting is to determine an application for a new private hire driver's licence. This determination is particularly centred around the applicant's driving convictions.

New Private Hire Driver's Licence Application

The sub-committee will consider an application for a new private hire driver's licence, where the applicant has driving convictions on their DVLA licence.

The agenda states that the purpose of the meeting is:

To enable members to determine an application for a New Private Hire Driver's License who has convictions on their DVLA Licence.

The public reports pack includes the procedure to be followed to determine the application. The Licensing Sub-committee will:

• Introduce the members and officers of the Licensing Sub Committee, including the solicitor, the Member Services Officer, the Licensing Officer and any other officers who may be present.
• Confirm that the Applicant/Licence holder has received the hearing report.
• Confirm whether the Applicant/ Licence holder is aware that they could be accompanied by a legal or other representative.
• Invite the Licensing Manager/Officer to present the facts of the case by taking the Licensing Sub- Committee through the report.
• Invite any witnesses including the Licensing Compliance Officer to put forward their evidence/findings.
• Invite the Applicant/Licence holder to put relevant questions to the Licensing Manager and any third party including the Licensing Compliance Officer who has submitted evidence or made a statement to the Licensing Sub Committee.
• Invite Members of the Licensing Sub Committee to put relevant questions to the Licensing Manager, the Legal Officer, and any third party including the Licensing Compliance Officer who has submitted evidence or made a statement to the Licensing Sub Committee.
• Invite the Applicant/Licence holder to present the matters which they wish to say in support of their case, including an explanation of the matters mentioned in the report, and to call witnesses.
• Invite the Licensing Manager/Officer to put questions to the Applicant/Licence holder and to any witnesses that may have submitted evidence.
• Invite Members of the Licensing Sub Committee to put questions to the Applicant/Licence holder and their witnesses.
• Invite the Applicant/Licence Holder to sum up their case.
• Thank all those who have spoken and invite the committee to retire in private to determine the application.

The public reports pack also includes Fenland District Council's Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2021 - 2026, which states that:

In relation to the consideration of convictions and cautions recorded against applicants, the Council will adopt the guidelines set out in Appendix B of this Policy.

Appendix B provides guidance on the relevance of convictions and cautions, stating that:

The over-riding consideration for the Council in its determination of applications is the promotion of the licensing objectives detailed within section 1.2 of this Policy, public safety.

The public reports pack also includes Guidance on determining the suitability of applicants and licensees in the taxi and private hire industry, which is a document produced by the Institute of Licensing. The document states that:

The overriding aim of any Licensing Authority when carrying out its functions relating to the licensing of Taxi or Private Hire Drivers, Vehicle Proprietors and Operators, must be the protection of the public and others who use (or can be affected by) Taxi and Private Hire services.

The Licensing Sub-Committee members are Councillor Dave Oliver (Chairman), Councillor James Carney, Councillor Diane Cutler and Councillor Peter Murphy. Other attendees include Luke Elford, Linda Albon, Michelle Bishop and Andy Fox.