Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent

Contact: Steven Matthews 

Link: This meeting will be live streamed

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Ara, Dennis, Smith and Wing.

2.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 113 KB

To receive any declarations of interest.  Members are advised to consider the advice contained within the Declaration of Interest advice attached to this Agenda.  If a Member declares an interest, they should complete the Declaration of Interest Form 

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 79 KB

To approve the Minutes of the Licensing Board meeting held on 14th February 2023, copy attached.

Minutes:

The Committee Members agreed that the item be deferred to the next meeting. This was in order to ascertain whether the Board decision made regarding the confidential item on the “Licence to Drive Private Hire Vehicles” that was considered on 22 November 2022 can be published in public.

4.

Licensing Sub-Committee Minutes pdf icon PDF 57 KB

To approve the minutes of the Licensing Sub-Committee meeting held on 23rd February 2023copy attached.

Minutes:

Councillor Currie proposed, Councillor Shrubb seconded and members agreed that the minutes of the Licensing Board held on 23 February 2023 be signed as a correct record.

 

5.

Changes to Driver Knowledge Test pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Mrs Brock, Technical Support Team Manager, introduced the report.

 

The report detailed proposed changes to be made to the Driver Knowledge Test which Private Hire Drivers or Hackney Carriage Drivers are required to take.

 

Members asked questions towards Mrs Brock, the Technical Support Team Manager.

 

Mrs Stocker, Senior Licensing Officer, also assisted with answering the questions put forward from Members.

 

Councillor Shrubb proposed, Councillor Saunders seconded and Members agreed:

 

1.  That the price to take the knowledge test remains at £41 for the first instance and then drops to £20 for every repeat test (this has to be passed by finance as it is a change to fees and charges.

 

2.  That the option for an evening course once a month be looked into for new applicants.

 

3.  With immediate effect the current safeguarding course to be upgraded to the on-line classroom based course therefore ensuring that applicants are actually taking the test themselves, cost of course to be paid by the applicant.

 

4.  That going forward, the Technical Support Team will do a full review of the testing procedure, looking specifically at an in-house full day training course and assessment and present a further report to the Board at the June meeting.