Labour scrutiny boss loses taxi license

A TAXI driver and leading Labour councillor has been stripped of his taxi license for repeatedly not declaring a criminal conviction.

Joginder Bal, who represents the Farnham ward, had his Hackney Carriage license withdrawn at a meeting of the Licensing Committee earlier this month.

This week, it emerged that Mr Bal, chairman of the powerful Scrutiny and Overview Committee which acts as a watchdog on the ruling cabinet, did not disclose his conviction for common assault in 1999.

Mr Bal was fined £100 after he admitted hitting the father of his niece's children over the head as he feared the youngsters were being threatened. At the time, Mr Bal faced calls to withdraw his nomination, but he continued his political aspirations and was finally elected in 2001.

Mr Bal has held a taxi licence since 1996, but a check of national criminal records conducted every three years, revealed he has never declared the common assault conviction on his annual licensing application.

The panel's decision in the run-up to next month's elections resurrects the spectre of Slough sleaze which blighted the political scene several years ago. "People coming before the licensing appeals' panel with records should not get a license for between three and five years, depending on the severity of the offences," the source said. "He has been driving around for years with a license he should not have had."

Cllr Richard Stokes, leader of the opposition Britwellian, Independent, Liberal and Liberal Democrat Group, said cllr Bal's position as chairman of the scrutiny committee should be reconsidered. "I'm all for people making amends, but cllr Bal has not told the truth," he said. "If he does not tell the truth, he is not fit to chair the scrutiny committee which is about getting the facts and acting impartially."

Mr Bal replied that he declared his offences when he stood for election and that they were a matter of public record. "I've apologised to the licensing committee and explained my failure to declare my offences was due to a misunderstanding on my part of the question contained on the declaration form," he said.

Mr Bal is appealing against the licensing committee's decision and is awaiting a hearing in the Crown Court. He has also referred the case to the Standards Board and would not discuss it further until they had had a chance to investigate."

A conviction that inccurs a fine only becomes spent after 5 years.

When you say its ok for people not declare concvitions if they become spent - would you find it acceptable if it was for indency etc.....

No

That Mr Bal knew exactly what he was doing and got caught out for it.

Good.

In the taxi/PH trade now, a conviction never becomes spent.

Even a caution shows up on a CRB Enhance check.

I can read as many books as you would like me to, but guidance from the Home Office is all I need.

its disgracefull this lad has done hardly nothing and one berk thinks he should be treated like a child molester!

i wouldn't call a conviction for assult 'hardly nothing'. that in its self should be enough to not have a taxi licence in the first place. and then to try and get away with not declaring it just adds weight to their case.

OK, lets all get at the councillor, his biggest crime in your eyes is that he is a councillor!

well sussex
guidance from the transport dept is all I need.


and all this slagging off of councillor brothers is nausiating.

its disgracefull this lad has done hardly nothing and one berk thinks he should be treated like a child molester!

It appears that you have some affiliation with this guy.

So because he's a councillor - its okay, he didn't mean it, he was confused - and nobody has labelled him as a child molester - talk about taking something out of context - you muppet.