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Brentwood advertising breach means licence fee refund

POORLY advertised licensing charges will cost Brentwood Council more than £3,000.

It has agreed to refund overcharged fees for Hackney Carriage vehicle, private hire vehicle and operator licences, for the financial year 2007/08.

The decision was made at a planning development control and licensing committee last week, after the council admitted it had not followed best practice to advertise the proposed increase in the local press.

The total refund will be £3,635, which covers the overcharging of 245 vehicle licenses at £15 and six operator licences at £5.

Councillor Roger McCheyne, chairman of the committee, said: “We acknowledge the council did make a mistake by not promoting the proposed charges to licence holders for 2007/08.

“Although this oversight occurred some while I ago, I would nevertheless like to offer my apologies for it having occurred and for any inconvenience it may cause to those persons who held a licence with the council at that time.

“We recognise the overcharged fees should now be refunded and we are working hard to remedy this mistake and have agreed to begin the process of arranging refunds with immediate effect.

“I can assure license holders and our residents procedures are already in place to ensure this cannot happen again.”The council will now use its records of who paid for and held one of the affected licences during that financial year, and arrange for refunds to be made.

Licence holders who think they are entitled to a refund are not required to take any immediate action. For information about vehicle licensing visit http://www.brentwood. gov.uk or e-mail licensing@brentwood.gov.uk

Source: Brentwood Weekly News