Albu refuses to defer his decision
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• North Western Licensing Authority Martin Albu has refused a request from Preston Borough Council that he defer his decision on a licence application by Howard Livesey and Michael Masheter, trading as LM Builders/Preston Minicrete.
The partners had applied for a new restricted licence for two vehicles. The council, which had not opposed the application, wanted the decision deferred until it had looked at blocking off an alleyway which the partners had access to.
Masheter admitted that the vehicles had been operated for 12 months without a licence. He said that they applied for a licence in 1987 and were told that a provisional licence had been granted. However, due to the computerisation of the administration of the Traffic Area, their application was lost. They reapplied but never received a licence.
The LA pointed out that was because a cheque for 210 had bounced. Masheter said he had looked into that matter at the company's bank and there did not appear to be any explanation for the cheque bouncing.
Albu stressed that he had to be satisfied the partners had adequate finances to maintain their vehicles, and Masheter said they could not run a business if cheques for £10 were bouncing.
Granting the licence. Albu said that the council had the right to object, but had availed itself of the opportunity. He was concerned that letters from the Traffic Area had been ignored and about the unexplained bouncing cheque. However, he was satitied about finance after examining the firm's accounts.