Agenda item

To consider a report by the Head of Licensing and Registration which seeks to review the previous Member recommendation and consider additional documentation about the role of the head restraints in a passenger vehicle.

(Report attached)

The Licensing Committee at its meeting on 9^th September 2014 considered a report concerning a proposed policy relating to Digital Advertising Screens in Licensed vehicles and resolved:

(i)  That the contents of the report be noted

(ii)  To approve in principle the policy proposal together with the control measures as identified in section 3 of the submitted report

(iii)That the Head of Licensing and Registration be instructed to prepare a further report for consideration of the Executive with a view to approval.

The Head of Licensing and Registration submitted a further report in relation to this matter following questions raised as to whether the control measures identified were reasonable.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents:

·  Minutes for the Licensing Committee dated 9^th September 2014 (Appendix 1 refers)

·  Information from ROSPA – Safer Head Restraints Designs (Appendix 2 refers)

·  EC Regulation No.17 – Uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regard to seats , their anchorage and any head restraints (Appendix 3 refers)

·  Correspondence with the Head of Road Safety (ROSPA)  - Appendix 4 refers

·  Correspondence from an Insurance Company providing clarification in respect of modified head restraints (Appendix 5 refers - Exempt)

·  Correspondence between Digicab media and the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Section (Appendix 6 refers)

·  Correspondence between the Chair of the Licensing Committee and Leeds Private Hire Drivers Association (Appendix 7 refers)

·  Freedom of Information Request submitted by the Managing Director Digicab Media (York) Ltd (Appendix 8 refers)

·  EU Certificate Conformity in respect of EU electrical standards for a Digicab media product (Appendix 9 refers)

·  Correspondence from an Insurance Company providing clarification in respect of public and product liability (Appendix 10 refers  - Exempt)

The Section Head, Taxi and Private Hire Licensing reported that the proprietor of the company wishing to place the product in licensed vehicles had provided further documents, however, he was  of the view that the information provided lacked sufficient detail/ clarification and unless there were auditable control measures in place to ensure continued compliance to the integrity of the vehicle’s safety design that there could be a safety risk to the public and potential legal risk to the Council. 

Mr D Crake, Managing Director, Digicab Media (York) Ltd reported that he had recently received information which suggested that the report presented by officers was inaccurate and out of date due to the fact that it referred to  EC Regulation No. 17 which had been superseded by EC Regulation No. 25 “Modern Technologies”.

Mr Crake indicated this information had only recently come into his possession and he had been unable to provide this information in advance of today’s meeting.

The Chair suggested that in light of the comments made Mr Crake consideration of this item be deferred to allow all parties to receive and consider any new information and determine if any areas of dispute remained.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That consideration of this item be deferred to allow all parties to receive and consider any new information and determine if any areas of dispute remain

(ii)  That subject to (i) above a further report be brought back to this Committee in due course