B & S Minibuses audit deadline
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• Chesterfield minibus operators Brian and Stephen Fantam and their company B & S Minibuses have been given six weeks to produce up-to-date audited accounts. If they fail to do so, Eastern Traffic Commissioner Brigadier Compton Boyd will revoke their licence.
The company appeared at a Nottingham public inquiry, when Compton Boyd was concerned over maintenance. When the firm's licence was renewed, at a public inquiry in February 1987, an undertaking had been given that its vehicle would be inspected by an outside agency every four weeks.
In February 1988 a letter was received from the agency concerned, Berresford Diesel Services, saying that the contract had been cancelled for the alleged non-payment of a bill and that the last inspection it had carried out had been in November.
Vehicle examiner Gordon Hulley said the firm had made its own inspections since and he would not say that the vehicle was any worse than it had been previously.
The facilities were quite reasonable, and more than adequate in size. He did not feel that it was necessary for an outside maintenance contractor to be used.
Questioned by Compton Boyd, Brian Fantam agreed that the company owed Berresford Diesel Services £60 and confirmed that it had been told on the last occasion that it must use an outside agency.
Stephen Fantam said that he understood that the bill from Berresford Diesel Services had not been paid because of an agreement between his brother and Berresfords over the loan of a bus.
Fantam was unable to produce bank statements. He did not know what last year's profit had been and could not really say what the running expenses had been. Accounts for 1985 showed a nett profit but the accounts for 1986 would not be ready for another six weeks.
Cutting the duration of the licence so that it expires in 12 months' time, Compton Boyd said that he was satisfied that the firm had adequate maintenance facilities, and he was giving it a year to see how it worked out.
He required audited accounts to be produced within six weeks, plus any other evidence that the company felt was relevant from the bank.
The company would not be given another chance. If satisfactory information was not produced within six weeks, Compton Boyd warned that he was likely to revoke the licence.