Agenda and minutes

The Democratic Services Officer drew attention to the Emergency Evacuation Procedure.

Councillor George Tomlin was present as a substitute for Councillor Toby Simon for the duration of the meeting.

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting.

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest (as defined in Part 4.4 Appendix B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests).

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officer or a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

There were none.

There was none.

The Sub-Committee RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meetings held on 2^nd January 2025 and 9^th January 2025 and they were duly signed by the Chair.

The Chair referenced the procedure that would be followed during the course of the meeting.

Those that were present confirmed that they had received and understood the licensing procedure.

The Sub-Committee is asked to consider passing the following resolution:

“the Sub-Committee having been satisfied that the public interest would be better served by not disclosing relevant information, in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, RESOLVES that the public shall be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business and the reporting of the meeting be prevented under Section 100A(5A), because of the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended.   

The members of the Sub-Committee agreed that they were satisfied that the public interest would be better served by not disclosing relevant information, in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

It was RESOLVED that the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business and the reporting of the meeting be prevented under Section 100A(5A), because of the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended.

The Public Protection Officer (Licensing) introduced the report to the Sub-Committee. She explained that they were being asked whether the licensee remains fit and proper to hold a combined Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Drivers licence issued by this authority.

The Chair asked if the medication prescribed, GTN (Glyceryl trinitrate), could cause dizziness.

The Public Protection Officer (Licensing) replied that this was a potential side effect, but that the licensee had not reported any such reaction.

The Chair asked for confirmation that the licensee had been driving his vehicle, as a taxi, illegally for the past six years.

The Public Protection Officer (Licensing) replied that had Licensing been aware of the medical conditions at the time of diagnosis, the licensee’s initial application would have been refused pending further medical information.

The licensee addressed the Sub-Committee and apologised for not declaring their medical diagnosis. They said that as part of this recent process they had been declared medically fit to drive and that they had always considered themselves to be fit at all times.

They said that they had been scared at the time and feared losing their job, but would never put the safety of the public at risk.

Councillor Tomlin asked if following the diagnosis in 2018 if they had been advised not to drive at all by their doctor.

The licensee replied that they were advised only to rest for four days as it had not been a major attack.

Councillor Tomlin asked the licensee for further explanation of why they had not declared their diagnosis to the Licensing department.

The licensee replied that it had been at the time that they were transferring from South Gloucestershire to B&NES and that they had submitted the D4 medical form with their diagnosis on it to South Gloucestershire Council incorrectly instead of B&NES.

The Chair asked the licensee if they had had a stent fitted following their attack.

The licensee replied that they have two stents that have been fitted.

The Chair asked the Licensing officers present if they felt that if the D4 medical form had been sent to South Gloucestershire in error would they have not contacted B&NES to inform them.

The Lead Officer (Licensing) replied that the form that the licensee had completed was a B&NES one.

The licensee acknowledged that it was their responsibility to have checked that the correct forms should have gone to the right place. They reiterated that they have been declared medically fit to drive.

The Chair asked the licensee why they had made a total of three false declarations to the Licensing team when applying for a licence.

The licensee replied that when re-applying and stating that there had been no change to their previous medical form this was because they thought that they had already made a declaration, but that this must have been to the wrong Council (South Gloucestershire).

Councillor Tomlin asked the licensee what the response had been from South Gloucestershire when they learnt of their  ...  view the full minutes text for item 123.