This is a tad laboured for what it is
And the 'mobile phone charge' in the headline presumably relates to the offence, and not plugging it in
Bolton would-be taxi driver refused over mobile phone charge
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/26 ... ne-charge/
A would-be taxi driver has been refused a licence after failing to declare that he had been convicted for using a mobile phone while driving.
According to newly released documents, a behind closed doors meeting of Bolton Council’s licencing committee was held and given a report setting out the applicant’s misconduct.
The applicant attended as part of a bid to be awarded a private hire drivers’ licence, which would have given him the right to take pre-booked taxi journeys.
The minutes said: “The conviction from April 24, 2025, of breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle mobile phones etc. was a major traffic offence under council’s statement of fitness and suitability and a conviction date of less than three years would generally mean that an application would be refused.
“The applicant also failed to declare the above conviction in accordance with the conditions of his licence.
"Therefore, there is reasonable cause to refuse to grant the private hire drivers’ licence.”
The meeting was held at Bolton Town Hall back on July 28, with minutes released this week ahead of the next scheduled meeting.
The report was presented to the committee by council director of place Jon Dyson setting out why the authority believed that the applicant was not a fit and proper person to hold a licence.
The unnamed would-be taxi driver attended the town hall meeting himself alongside his representative with all parties given 15 minutes to present their case to the committee.
Having heard both the authority and the driver and his representative’s cases committee member Cllr Martin Donaghy, of Tonge with the Haulgh, moved that the licence be refused.
This was seconded by Cllr Anne Galloway, of Heaton, Lostock and Chew Moor and the committee members voted unanimously to refuse the man’s application for a licence.
There were no abstentions recorded as part of the vote.
The report said: “The motion was declared carried and it was specifically resolved, that the application for a licence to drive a private hire vehicle be refused as the committee felt that the applicant is not a fit and proper person at this time.”