PAPER B1

Purpose: For Decision

Committee: LICENSING PANEL

Date: 17 JANUARY 2003

Title: APPLICATION BY MR J BALL FOR A HACKNEY CARRIAGE LICENCE IN RESPECT OF A FORD TOURNEO WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE COUNCIL’S HACKNEY CARRIAGE VEHICLE LICENCE CONDITIONS

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & INFORMATION AND COUNTY TREASURER

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

To consider an application to grant a Hackney Carriage licence for a Ford Tourneo which does not comply with the Council’s Hackney Carriage Vehicle licence conditions.

BACKGROUND

1. An application by Mr J Ball, 103 High Park Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight was received by the Licensing Section. However, the vehicle does not comply with the Council’s Hackney Carriage Vehicle licence condition 15 (a) “Passenger entry and exit doors should be on the nearside of the vehicle only”.

2. Hackney Carriage Condition No. 15 (b) states that “no passenger entry or exit doors will be permitted at the rear or on the offside of the vehicle except emergency exits and wheelchair access”.

3. As previous models of the Ford Tourneo and Ford Transits have been licensed, the Senior Licensing Officer has permitted the vehicle to be licensed as the proprietor agreed to use the offside door only in an emergency and has put signs on the door to this effect.

4. The Panel is aware that the Hackney Carriage & Private Hire Vehicle licence conditions are being reviewed and that a Mercedes Vito, a Ford Galaxy and a Volkswagen Sharan all licensed for 6 or more passengers have offside passenger entry doors. Consideration was given to the above when the Ford Tourneo was brought in for licensing and the Senior Licensing Officer believes the Panel may wish to licence Ford Transits and Tourneos with offside passenger entry doors.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

1. The Panel’s attention is drawn to Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 which requires local authorities to consider the crime & disorder implications of ALL their activities. This is a corporate responsibility of the authority as a whole. Advice will be available during the course of the meeting on any matters raised by the applicant or objectors.

2. Members are advised that this application should be considered against a background of the implications of the Human Rights Act 1998. The report does not include a recommendation, however, reasons have to be given for the decision.

OPTIONS

(a) To approve Ford Transit and Ford Torneo models with offside passenger entry doors.

(b) To refuse to licence these makes of vehicles with offside passenger entry doors..

RECOMMENDATIONS

Members’ instructions are requested

BACKGROUND PAPERS

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Conditions.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Mr J Ball has been requested to attend the meeting with the vehicle, to answer any questions members may have. He has been advised of the Council’s Licensing Panel procedure.

Contact Point: John Murphy, 823152

J PULSFORD

Strategic Director

Finance & Information and County Treasurer

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