Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Fearn.

To approve the record of the meeting held on 10 November 2023.

The record of the meeting held on 10 November 2023 was agreed and signed by the Chairperson.

The Chairperson will announce any late items which do not appear on the main agenda but which he/she has agreed should be considered by reason of special circumstances to be specified in the report.

There were none. 

Members are invited to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Significant Interests in accordance with the Member Code of Conduct. Guidance on this is set out in agenda item 4.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

There were none.

Other interests

There were none.

This report summarises the content of agenda item 6 which, in the opinion of the proper officer, contain exempt information within one of the categories in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. It is a matter for the Sub-Committee to determine whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of documents.

The Sub-Committee agreed to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of agenda item 6 because consideration of this matter in public would disclose information falling within paragraphs 1, 2 and 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as specified in agenda item 5 (Exclusion of press and public) and, in all the circumstances of the case, the Sub-Committee considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Licensing Sub-Committee are requested to consider the appeal against the issuing of penalty points and should the appeal be dismissed, to consider the continuance of the driver’s Hackney Carriage Driver Licence and determine what action should be taken.  

Discussion:

The Sub-Committee considered an appeal from Mr M against penalty points issued and a review of his Hackney Carriage Driver Licence.

Decision:

After careful consideration of the written evidence and oral representations made at the meeting, the Sub-Committee reduced the penalty points awarded from 12 points to 6 points. However, as the driver already had 6 existing penalty points on his Hackney Carriage Licence for a previous motoring offence, the imposition of a further 6 points meant that the threshold of 12 points had been reached, such that the sub-committee determined to revoke his Hackney Carriage Licence.

The Sub-Committee considered that the driver’s overall actions had not met the high driving standards necessary set by Medway Council to continue as a licensed Hackney Carriage driver.