The Licensing Committee of Middlesbrough Council met on Monday 7 September 2026. The meeting's agenda included the consideration of applications for private hire operator and driver licences.

Applications for Private Hire Licences

The committee was scheduled to consider three applications related to private hire licences.

Application for Private Hire Operator's Licence - Ref No: 28/26

This item concerned an application for a Private Hire Operator's Licence, referenced as 28/26. The report pack indicated that this application required special consideration by the committee.

Application for Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence - Ref No: 26/26

The committee was scheduled to review an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, identified as Ref No: 26/26. The report pack indicated that this application also required special consideration.

Application for Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence - Ref No: 27/26

This agenda item involved an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence, with the reference number 27/26. Similar to the other driver licence application, this matter was flagged as requiring special consideration by the committee.

The report pack also detailed a previous meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 20 July 2026. At that meeting, a review of a Combined Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle driver licence (Ref: 18/26) was conducted, which resulted in the licence being revoked. The reasons for revocation included the driver's failure to notify the council of a conviction for using a mobile phone while driving and not completing a required Driver Improvement Scheme. Additionally, an application for a Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence (Ref: 14/26) was granted with a warning. This decision was made despite the applicant having a previous conviction for using a vehicle uninsured against third-party risks, with the committee citing the applicant's honesty and the isolated nature of the offence as mitigating factors.

The agenda also included standard procedural items such as a welcome, fire evacuation procedures, apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and the minutes of the previous meeting. A verbal update on any licensing appeals or revocations since the last meeting was also scheduled. The committee was also set to consider passing a resolution to exclude the press and public from the meeting during the consideration of certain items, citing the disclosure of exempt information.