Licence for ban boss
Page 22
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
3. tor of WPS, who
was disqualified pany director for five years in October 1996, has obtained an 0-licence in his name at a Birmingham public inquiry. John Powell, trading as Espirit Transportation Services, of Birmingham, had applied for a new international licence for three 7.5 tonne vehicles.
For Powell, Michael Carless said WPS had gone into liquidation in March 1992. Powell was disqualified from being a director almost four and a half years later on the grounds that WPS had continued to trade while insolvent. But the judge had said that what had occurred had been misguided rather than fraudulent.
Powell said WPS had got into financial difficulties for several reasons. It was believed the sale of some property partly owned by one of the directors would save the company but it did not happen in time. The High Court allowed them to trade to save 300 jobs. That led to the formation of WPS Express, a company of which he had not been a director.
After West Midland Traffic Commissioner David Dixon pointed out WPS Express had many convictions for failing to tax vehicles, Powell agreed he had been its transport manager. He said he had told the company secretary the vehicles needed retaxing but the company had been in a sorry state. He had taxed some of the smaller vehicles out of his own pocket.
Powell had been disqualified through no fault of his own, said Carless. He said other directors of WPS should have known better. Powell had not been in charge of finance. There had never been any criticism of his operations in 35 years in the industry.
Powell said he had traded for 28 years as Ware Transport before the formation of WPS. He could have put his children up as directors, as some people did, but he had not done so. He was not prepared to hide behind anyone.
Granting the licence, the Commissioner said Powell's role as transport manager of WPS Express had been fully investigated by his predecessor and no action had been taken.
Because of the circumstances, and because it was now six and a half years since the events that had led to Powell's disqualification, he found that he had not lost his repute.