To approve the revised policy for private hire and hackney carriage licensing.

The proposed policy and its supporting documents were approved, subject to the review of condition 4.3c of the Breaches of Dual Driver Licence Conditions at Appendix 1 to the report (Appendix 1 – Penalty Points Scheme) and paragraph 1.8 of Appendix 1 to the report (Appendix 8 – Conditions Attached to Private Hire/Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence) Section 1: Licensing of Vehicles – General, with any changes to be made as a result to be approved by the Director of People’s Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing.

Policies are an integral part of the decision making process and provide a valuable aid to consistent decision making.  Each case will continue to be judged on its own merits and, as this policy acts as a guide, it does not bind the local authority to an inflexible decision insofar as a person’s ‘fit and proper’ status.

a)    The policy be not adopted

Advantages: It allows any further views of the trade to be taken into an even fuller account, if considered appropriate and legal.

Disadvantages: Not all the proposals put forward by the Association and some independent trade members could be accepted, as they were not considered to be legally acceptable and/or may not follow best practice.

The current draft already follows a consultation process and this option will delay the release of the new policy further.

This option would delay the decision process and in doing so will incur further costs.

b)    To defer the decision, in order to get more information

This will allow further information to be considered and enable additional advice to be received, whether legal or technical.

Advantages: Gives the opportunity for further information to be sought.

Disadvantages:This would delay the decision process and in doing so will incur further costs as mentioned in (a) above.

c)    To reach some other decision

Advantages: This leaves other options that may arise.

Disadvantages:There are no clear directions in respect to alternatives.