Legal and Democratic Services

General Licensing Taxi Panel hearings – Procedure

The Panel will follow this procedure during the hearing. It must follow a set procedure to allow all parties (you and the council officers) a fair hearing and must conduct business in an orderly fashion.

If you wish the Panel to look at papers or photographs, please give these to the clerk by email. Both parties have to agree that they can be shown to the Panel.

If you have a representative or someone with you for support, please let the clerk know.

The Chair is in charge of proceedings.  If you wish to speak please raise your hand by either clicking the raise hand icon in Microsoft Teams or by asking to speak through the device you are using.  You must only speak when the Chair has invited you to do so. Please do not interrupt other speakers.

The only people normally at the hearing are the councillors, their legal adviser and clerk, the officers presenting their cases, and you and your representative. Members of the public are not admitted. Sometimes other councillors or officers may wish to observe the proceedings. If you do not wish any observers to be there, you can ask the Chair to ask them to leave.

The procedure is:

1          Welcome and introductions; outlining the procedure. 

2          The Licensing Officer presents his/her case.

Questions from:

· Members of the Panel

· applicant/licence holder

3          The applicant/licence holder presents his/her case.

Questions from

· Members of the Panel

· Licensing officer

4          Final summing-up from

· Licensing officer

· Applicant/ licence holder.

· Final questions from the Panel.

5          Consideration by the Panel.

The Panel ask everyone except the legal officer and clerk to leave the room and the committee withdraws to a separate meeting room to make its decision. If the Panel have any further questions all parties will be contacted to attend to resume proceedings once all attendees are present.

6          Panel’s decision.

When the Panel has made its decision, all parties will be brought back to the meeting room where the decision will be read out. There is no opportunity for further questions or comments, but officers may be able to answer your questions.  The clerk will send the full decision notice (with reasons) and your appeal rights in writing. The Licensing Officer will deal with issuing the licence or taking any further action.