MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE LICENSING COMMITTEE HELD AT FOLLATON HOUSE, TOTNES ON THURSDAY 9 MARCH 2023

MEMBERS

* Cllr D Brown - Chairman

* Cllr R Rowe - Vice-Chairman

*   Cllr J Hodgson *  Cllr T Holway Ø Cllr K Kemp *   Cllr G Pannell Ø Cllr K Pringle

*   Cllr H Reeve *   Cllr P Smerdon *   Cllr D Thomas *  Cllr D O’Callaghan * Cllr J Sweett

* Denotes attendance

Ø Denotes apology for absence

Officers in attendance and participating:

All Agenda Items: Senior Specialist – Licensing; Licensing Specialist; Monitoring Officer and Specialist – Democratic Services

L.15/23           MINUTES

                        The minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 5 January 2023 were confirmed as a correct record.

L.16/23           DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

                        Members were invited to declare any interests in the items of business to be considered during the course of the meeting, but there were none made.

L.17/23           CONSIDERATION OF AN APPLICATION OF AN TO LICENSE A VEHICLE AS A HACKNEY CARRIAGE

Consideration was given to a report that asked the Committee to determine an application for a new Hackney Carriage Vehicle Licence for a Fairway Shadow Shuttle Bus to be operated by ZEST (Salcombe) Limited and in particular whether the vehicle was a type that was suitable to be licensed as a Hackney Carriage Vehicle as it was a type that did not accord with the Council’s policy which required new vehicles to have a 4 or 5 Star Euro NCAP Safety Rating.  The Fairway Shadow Shuttle Bus did not have a rating because it had not undergone testing by Euro NCAP.

The Licensing Specialist introduced the report and the applicant was invited to make representations to the Committee.  At the conclusion of his address, Members of the Committee asked a series of questions, which included:

· Whether not having an Euro NCAP rating meant that the vehicle was unsafe – it did not and the vehicle was certified to be driven on the public highway

· Passenger safety requirements

· Crash testing of the vehicle

· Speed of the vehicle

· Planned route in Salcombe

· Experience of operating bus/taxi service

· The driver’s qualifications to drive this type of vehicle

· Out of town parking

                        The Licensing Specialist asked the applicant to provide further information to the Committee on the certificates.  It was reported that their list exceeded the requirements by VOSA.

                        During the debate, members focussed upon the safety, comfort of and access to the vehicle.  

Following debate it was PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED that:

a hackney carriage vehicle licence granted for the Fairway Shadow Shuttle Bus subject to the further additional certification being provided to the satisfaction of the Senior Licensing Officer in consultation with Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

(Meeting commenced at 11.00 am and concluded at 12.28 pm).

___________________

                                                                                                    Chairman