Agenda item

Report of the Group Director of Services

The Group Director of Services submitted a report (previously circulated) which invited Members to consider a report in respect of the grant of a Private Hire Operators Licence (PHO) out of scope of Darlington Borough Council’s Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy.

The submitted report stated that an application for a PHO licence on behalf of Uber Britannica Ltd (Uber) had been received on 22 May 2024. It was reported that within Darlington Borough Council’s Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy there was a condition that a Private Hire Operator’s licence will not be issued unless the applicant operates from a premises within the borough of Darlington and that a fixed landline telephone number for bookings be provided at the premises. It was noted that whilst Uber had a business premises located in Darlington, with the appropriate planning permission, the company did not have a fixed landline telephone number for bookings to be made, and as this therefore fell outside of Darlington Borough Council’s Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy, the decision whether to grant a PHO licence was removed from Officers’ delegated authority, and it was for Members to make a determination.

The submitted report acknowledged that technology had progressed and that a fixed line telephone number at a local office could be diverted to a contact centre outside of the borough of Darlington, and that app-based technology on hand-held devices had removed the need for any direct telephone contact when making bookings, whilst still complying with statutory standards for recording details.

The submitted report reminded Members that, when making their decision, they had to give due regard to the Council’s Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Policy and procedures, and should assess whether the applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a licence, and that each case should be assessed on its own merits. In giving consideration to the application, Members were asked to be mindful of safeguarding the public, in particular children and vulnerable adults, and apply the working test to determine whether the applicant was a fit and proper person.  

The applicant attended the meeting and responded to Members questions in relation to the above, as to why they felt that they were a fit and proper person to hold a Private Hire Operators Licence.

RESOLVED – (a) That the Private Hire Operators Licence be granted.

(b) That an additional condition be added to ensure Private Hire Driver training is provided to the standards required by Darlington Borough Council.