The Council has Suspended/Revoked (OR) Refused to Renew my Private Hire Operators Licence. What can I do about it?
The Council is in limited circumstances allowed to do this. Where someone (hereafter referred to as the Applicant) has had a Private Hire Operators Licence suspended/revoked or it's *timely renewal* refused, the Council must by law inform the Applicant in writing within 14 days of that decision and the grounds for the refusal. This requirement is more commonly known as giving the Applicant "Notice". From the time "Notice" has been served, the Applicant has 21 days in which to lodge an Appeal to the Magistrates Court. In order to lodge an Appeal the Applicant or his/her solicitor must lodge a Summons of Complaint at the Magistrates Court within the 21-day period. The Summons of Complaint will state the Applicant's name and address and the Applicant will then be known as the Appellant. An officer of the Council will usually be named as the Respondent, and the usual officer to name is the Chief Executive. The Council's address will also have to be included in the Summons of Complaint as well as short form details of the decision reached.
There are some legal details that have to be included also, and in particular the Legislation that gives the Applicant the right to Appeal. In the case of a Private Hire Operators Licence the Statutory right can be found at Section 62(3) Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (the Act of 1976) The procedure for lodging the Appeal is pursuant to sections 300-302 Public Health Act 1936. This information should also be included in the Summons of Complaint. Generally speaking the Court staff are very helpful when it comes to lodging the paperwork.
Once the Appeal has been lodged, it will usually take between 2 & 3 months before the matter goes before the Court for a contested hearing. It is probable that the matter will go before the Court for a Pre Trial Review before the case is finally heard. This is to enable the parties to agree a time scale for the Appeal (usually a half day). Other matters such as witness availability and any legal issues can also be ironed out, so as to ensure the Appeal runs smoothly.
LEGAL AID IS NOT USUALLY AVAILABLE FOR AN APPEAL OF THIS NATURE.
WHERE A LICENCE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED REVOKED OR IT'S TIMELY RENEWAL REFUSED, THE APPLICANT IS ENTITLED BY LAW TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES FOR THE 21 DAYS UP TO THE LODGING OF THE APPEAL AND ONCE SO LODGED PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE APPEAL. THIS RIGHT CAN BE FOUND AT SECTION 77 OF THE ACT OF 1976. *****A TIMELY RENEWAL IS ONE WHERE THE APPLICATION TO RENEW WAS MADE PRIOR TO THE PREVIOUS LICENCE EXPIRING, USUALLY 4-6 WEEKS PRIOR*****
At the actual Appeal itself, the parties will usually have prepared a bundle of documents each in support of their respective cases. The Council will adduce evidence which usually contains details calling into question the way the business has been run in the past or the Applicant's past and/or highlighting past criminal convictions/pending prosecutions. The Applicant will adduce evidence in support of his/her case, usually relying on Mitigating Circumstances, such as a one off event/conviction and/or the passage of time since last convicted.
In 1992 the Department of Transport issued a Circular known as the Department of Transport Circular 2/92, which most Local Authorities rely on in support of their decision to revoke/refuse Drivers Licenses. The Circular is sometimes relied on by Councils in the case of Operators. Those Guidelines can be equally as helpful to the Applicant depending on the facts of the case.
There is only a limited amount of case law currently available on this issue.
After the Magistrates have heard all of the evidence and heard submissions by each party, they will retire to reach their decision.
When the decision has been given, the Magistrates must also state the reasons why they reached the decision they have. Failure to give reasons can in some cases give rise to the decision being quashed by way of Judicial Review.
The party who loses the Appeal has a further right of Appeal to the Crown Court and any such Appeal must again be lodged within 21 days of the Magistrates decision. In limited circumstances the matter can be referred to the High Court by way of "Case Stated".
If the Applicant wins the Appeal, the Council must reinstate the Licence or renew as the case may be as soon as is practicable, usually within 24 hours.
If the Council subsequently Appeal the Magistrates decision to the Crown Court, the Applicant can Operate pending the outcome of the Crown Court Appeal, this right is again pursuant to Section 77 of the Act of 1976.
If the Applicant loses the Appeal, he/she has the same right to Appeal to the Crown Court within 21 days AND AGAIN CAN continue to Operate pending the outcome of the Crown Court Appeal.
COSTS. As indicated above, Legal Aid is not usually available for an Appeal of this nature and as such must be funded by the Applicant or his/her backers i.e. Association.
The General rule is that the losing party pays the winning party's costs. However, costs are always at the discretion of the Court. The Court may Order that only part of the costs be paid by the losing party and in extreme cases refuse to make a costs order at all.
The advice given herein is General Advice only. For advice specific to your particular circumstances you should consult with a Solicitor. This general advice is provided subject to the usual disclaimer that neither Tapin2taxis it's servants, agents or subsidiaries accept liability, legal or otherwise resulting from actions taken on reliance of this advice and/or from any omission of advice.
For details of a Solicitor specialising in this field of work in your area, you should contact the National Private Hire Association on 0161 280 2800. The National Private Hire Association is not financially linked to Tapin2taxis but simply share the common aim of assisting the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Trade. Members of the National Private Hire Association can in some cases enjoy discounted rates through its Approved Solicitors and other Service Providers.
