Report of Licensing Manager.
Minutes:
The Licensing Manger introduced a report to enable members to consider a request from Mr. M. Thorpe to waive the standard licence conditions requiring the display of the official licence plate and the council’s uniform door signage.
Members were reminded that the council had established conditions attached to the
grant of a private hire vehicle licence. It was advised that condition No. 3 of the standard conditions provided that a plate: "shall be securely fixed to the rear of the vehicle in a conspicuous position ….and a further plate should be fixed at the front of the vehicle. Door signs supplied by Lancaster City Council must be affixed to the front doors of the vehicle."
Members were reminded that the licence conditions requiring the Council’s uniform sign to be displayed on the front doors of hackney carriage and private hire vehicles were updated last year. The purpose of uniform signage was to differentiate between a hackney carriage and a private hire vehicle and to increase public safety.
In the past, the Committee had considered private hire licensing arrangements in respect of stretched limousines and other specific vehicles. With regard to the licensing of such vehicles, the Committee had accepted that the Council’s uniform sign need not be displayed. Further, the Council’s external plates would be replaced with a Council disc, which would be affixed to the windscreen. The proprietor was also required to carry the licence plate within the vehicle for security purposes.
An application for a private hire vehicle licence had been received from Mr. M.Thorpe who was currently licensed as a private hire operator. In his application, Mr Thorpe proposed to license a Mercedes E280 Avantgarde. Mr. Thorpe had requested a waiver of the standard licence conditions requiring the display of the official licence plate and the Council’s uniform door signage on the grounds that he was operating executive travel for corporate clients.
Members were informed that Mr Thorpe had appeared before the Licensing Regulatory Committee on the 20th November 2008 requesting that a waiver of the standard vehicle licence conditions be allowed for his vehicle; on that occasion it had granted.
Mr. Thorpe attended the meeting and made representations in support of his request. Mr. Thorpe advised the committee that the vehicle would only be used for corporate work, when companies requested a vehicle which did not display any signage. The nature of the work meant that the vehicle would be used for a number of longer journeys, and as the vehicle in question was very comfortable it was ideal for this type of work.
It was proposed by Councillor Day and seconded by Councillor Denwood: -
“That the applicant’s request for a waiver of the standard vehicle licence conditions requiring the display of a licence plate and the Council’s uniform door signage be approved with the same conditions as were granted previously.”
Upon being put to the vote 8 members voted in favour of the proposition with one abstention, whereupon the Chairman declared the proposition to be carried.
Resolved:
That the applicant’s request for a waiver of the standard vehicle licence conditions requiring the display of a licence plate and the Council’s uniform door signage be approved with the same conditions as were granted previously.