Agenda item

Report of the licensing manager.

The licensing manager presented a report to enable members to consider an application for two private hire vehicle licences which had been received from Mr Bunford. The applicant had requested a waiver of the standard licence condition requiring the display of the council’s uniform door signage. He had not requested a waiver of the standard condition which required the vehicles to display a front and rear plate. The purpose of the report was to enable members to consider the request.

Members were advised that under section 48(2) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, a district council may attach to the grant of a licence under this section such conditions as they may consider reasonably necessary including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregone provisions of this subsection conditions requiring or prohibiting the display of signs on or from the vehicle to which the licence relates under Section 48(6) of the above Act. Any person aggrieved by the refusal of a district council to grant a vehicle licence under this section, or by any conditions specified in such a licence, may appeal to a Magistrates’ Court.

The committee were reminded that the council had established conditions attached to the grant of a private hire vehicle licence. Members noted 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 had been 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. 

The committee were advised that an application for two private hire vehicle licences had been received from Mr Bunford; he had also applied to be licensed as a private hire operator. In his applications, Mr Bunford had proposed to license two Stretch Limousines. Mr. Bunford had requested a waiver of the standard licence conditions requiring the display of the council’s uniform door signage on the grounds that he was operating executive travel, he had not requested a waiver of the condition which required the vehicles to display the council’s front and rear plates.

Mr. Bunford was in attendance at the meeting and made representations in support of his request. A photograph of the vehicles was provided for members’ information.  

It was proposed by Councillor Burns and seconded by Councillor Redfern:-

“That the applicant’s request for a waiver of the standard vehicle licence conditions requiring the display of the council’s uniform door signage be approved.”

Upon being put to the vote members voted unanimously in favour of the proposition, 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 the council’s uniform door signage be approved.