To consider
an application by Mr A
(separate
copy for sub-committee members only)
Decision:
Minutes:
• The person is a fit and proper person
• The person does not pose a threat to the public
• The public are safeguarded from dishonest persons
• Children and young people are protected
• The safeguarding of vulnerable persons
• The public have confidence in using licensed vehicles.
The Licensing
Officer presented a written report on an application received from Mr A for a
hackney carriage/private hire driver's licence. The Sub-committee was requested
to consider the application in accordance with the DBS record, the guidelines
on criminal offences and relevant convictions, as well as the medical
certificate, the applicant's personal statement and references. The Licensing
Authority had recommended that the Sub-committee should refuse the application.
In response to the
presentation of the Licensing Manager, the applicant's representative asked the
Licensing Manager to confirm that the passenger in the 2019 case had not come
to any harm or made any formal complaint to the Police about the driver's behaviour.
In response, the Licensing Manager noted that the evidence had been challenged
at the Magistrate' Court and although there had been no conviction, the Judge
had determined that the evidence was credible.
The applicant's
representative suggested that the passenger's impressions were very different
to those of the driver in the 2019 incident. In response, the Licensing
Manager, although confirming that there had been no further action by the
Police, noted that a recording of the situation on the evening had been
submitted as evidence and that 'general behaviour' was a consideration,
although there had been no conviction.
In response, the
applicant's representative noted that a caution by the Police was not a
conviction but, in response, the Licensing Manager noted that evidence of a
caution was sufficiently strong in this case.
The applicant was invited to expand on his application and provide
information about the background of the caution on his licence and his personal
circumstances. A mixture of 37 references had been submitted by friends,
colleagues, neighbours and service users. He noted that he regretted the
incidents in 2018 and 2019 and that he acknowledged that he had behaved
appallingly. At the time, he was under strain although he accepted that this
was no excuse for his behaviour. He appreciated that drivers had to be reliable
and that the sub-committee played an important part in ensuring this.
He shared examples of the work and community responsibilities he had
undertaken since the incidents, which included attending a course on ensuring
public safety. He stated his wish to put the past behind him and focus on
moving forward by prioritising his business and his family. He thanked his
staff for their support in carrying on the business through a difficult period.
He referred to his work as a licensed travel supervisor for the county's
Education Department. He noted that the department had approved a travel
supervisor licence for him and that no complaints had been received about his work.
He referred to a specific case as an example of the responsibilities required
to be a travel supervisor.
In response to a question regarding how he would set an example to his
drivers as an employer and manage his behaviour, he noted that he had made
every effort to improve himself since the incidents in 2018 and 2019,
especially as people paid for his service that they expected better.
Having summarised his application, the applicant's representative
proposed to the sub-committee, should the application be approved, that a 12
month licence was approved so that the applicant could prove himself and build
a relationship with the Licensing Unit.
In response, should the applicant be granted a licence, the Licensing
Manager noted that the expected standard was the same in all cases. She
reiterated that there was flexibility in the Act to consider a period that was
less than 3 years.
RESOLVED that the applicant was a fit and proper
person to be issued with a hackney/private hire vehicle driver's licence from
Cyngor Gwynedd.
In reaching its
decision, the Sub-committee considered the following:
· The requirements of 'Cyngor Gwynedd's Licensing Policy
for Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles'
· The applicant's application form
· The Licensing Department's report, the DBS statement
and the DVLA's report
· The applicant's verbal representations
· The applicant's medical form
· Personal Statement from the applicant
· The applicant's references
Specific consideration was given to the following matters:
Background
In May 2018, the
hackney/private hire driver's licence was revoked with immediate action in
order to safeguard the public, in accordance with the provision of section
61(1) (b) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 following
a violent incident. The applicant was issued a caution by the Police for the
common assault, which was contrary to section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act
1988
In September 2018, a
new application for a hackney/private hire driver's licence was received from
the applicant. The application was referred to the Sub-committee for a decision
with a recommendation to refuse in accordance with the Council's Suitability
Criteria for Drivers and Operators policy. The Sub-committee resolved to
approve the application.
In March 2019, the
applicant's taxi driver's licence was revoked in order to safeguard the public,
in accordance with the provision of section 61(1) (b) of the Local Government
(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, following an alleged physical assault on a
customer. He was not convicted for the incident.
In July 2019, the
applicant brought an appeal under section 52 of the Local Government
(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 against the decision of the Licensing
Service Officer to revoke his licence in March 2019. At Caernarfon Magistrates'
Court, he lost his appeal case and the judge confirmed that the evidence used
by the Council to reach a decision to revoke the taxi driver's licence was the
right decision.
In January 2020,
another application was received for a hackney/private hire driver's licence
from the applicant. The application was referred to the Sub-committee in
February 2020 and it was resolved to refuse the application. Following the
decision, the applicant brought an appeal under section 52 of the Local
Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 against the decision. At an
interim hearing in September 2020, the Magistrates' Court decided that the
conclusions of the first appeal stood as evidence and that the applicant may
not try to re-challenge the facts surrounding the assaults, as that would
amount to abuse of the court process. In December 2020, the applicant applied
to withdraw his appeal and the Judge accepted his application.
RELEVANT CLAUSES OF THE POLICY
Paragraph 2.2 of the Council's Policy was considered, which states that
a person with a conviction for a serious offence need not be automatically
barred from obtaining a licence, but he will be expected to have been free of
any conviction for an appropriate period as stated in the Policy, and to show
evidence that he is a fit and proper person to hold a licence. The onus was on
the applicant to prove that he was a fit and proper person. Paragraph 2.4
states that when an applicant has a conviction(s) or there are other related
matter(s) to be considered in connection with that, the Council cannot review
the merits of the conviction or other matter.
Paragraph 4.5 was considered which states that
the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 2002
allows the Sub-committee to take into account all convictions recorded against
an applicant, whether spent or otherwise, under the 1974 Act.
Paragraph 6.0 of the Policy addresses violent
offences. Paragraph 6.1 states that, since licensed drivers come into close
contact regularly with the public, the sub-committee shall adopt a firm stance
towards those who have offences involving violence. Paragraph 6.2 notes that
anyone found guilty of an offence relating to violence is unlikely to be
granted a licence until they have been free from such a conviction for a
minimum of three years. However, when considering the range of offences
relating to violence, the nature of the offence must be considered.
Paragraph 6.5 of the Policy states that an
application for a licence will usually be refused if the applicant has a matter
to be considered for common assault that is less than three years prior to the
date of the application.
Paragraph 6.6 of the Policy states that an
application will normally be refused if an applicant has more than one
conviction for an offence of a violent nature within the last ten years.
CONCLUSIONS
In accordance with policy provisions, the Sub-committee
concluded that the required three years had elapsed since the 2018 conviction
and the 2019 incident. In considering the matter of re-offending and finding
that both incidents were of the same nature, the provisions of para.6.6 of the
policy were relevant. Therefore, consideration had to be given to approving the
licence even though ten years had not elapsed since the previous conviction /
relevant matter.
An explanation was
received by the applicant and his reasons for his behaviour. The Sub-committee
was pleased to hear him admitting that he was at fault and acknowledging that
his behaviour was totally unacceptable; however, whatever the personal
circumstances, they were no excuse for the assault in 2018. Similarly, the
Sub-committee was pleased that the applicant admitted that he should have
responded differently to the incident in 2019.
Consideration was given
to the applicant's work as a licensed passenger supervisor, who was responsible
for assisting taxi drivers who carried vulnerable passengers/children on Cyngor
Gwynedd school contracts. It was also considered that he had been granted
Security Industry Authority Licence and, in order to meet licence requirements,
he had undertaken a full week of courses, which included people management,
first aid, how to diffuse potential aggressive situations and public
protection.
Consideration was given
to examples of difficult situations the applicant had dealt with and that no
further complaints had been received regarding his behaviour. The proposal of
issuing a licence for an initial one-year period instead of the usual three,
was also considered.
The Head of Environment
Department recommended to refuse the application. Although there had not been
any further violent incidents since 2019, officers of the Licensing Unit were
not convinced that the applicant had learnt from the incidents. It was noted
that only five months had elapsed since approving the licence in October 2018
after his licence was revoked by the authority earlier that year - these facts
supported officers' opinion and suggested a tendency to reoffend.
Having carefully
weighed up all the presentations and evidence, the Sub-committee resolved that
they accepted that the applicant acknowledged that his behaviour had been
totally unacceptable and that he was genuinely full of regret. Evidence
submitted of positive actions taken by the applicant, such as the Security
Industry course, supported his application.
Having received a
majority vote, the Sub-committee resolved to approve the application and that
the applicant was a fit and proper person to hold a hackney and private hire
vehicle driver's licence. However, the proposal to approve the licence for
one-year only was accepted, emphasising that the expected standard of behaviour
was exactly the same as that of a three-year licence.
The Solicitor reported that the decision would be confirmed formally by
letter to the applicant.