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148 
Horner calls for investigation
Page 38
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• Richard Palkinghorn, trading as Pulkinghorn Bros of?rudhoe, bid for -a new 15vehicle licence following the death of his brother. But the hearing has been adjourned by North Eastern Deputy Licensing Authority Brian Homer, pending an urgent investigation by both vehicle and traffic examiners.
Pulkinghorn had sought a licence based at The Garage, Swalwell Close, South Road, Prudhoe. His application attracted representations from neighbouring residents who claimed that the site was an eyesore and incapable of accommodating 15 vehicles.
The DLA was told that it had never been the intention to keep 15 vehicles at Swalwell Close, and that other sites were plainly in use as operating centres. Pulkinghom said he had thought that Swalwell Close was the operating centre as that was where the business was run from. Vehicles were not normally kept at Swalwell Close but he wanted to keep up to six vehicles there in the future. About eight vehicles were currently being operated, said Pulkinghorn. He had licence discs for four or five but he did not know the registration numbers. His son, John Pulkinghorn, ran some vehicles in the name of Duke Coal Co from Haltwistle. A lot of the maintenance was carried out at Haltwistle, and at the Consett premises of Johnson Salkekl Young. Some vehicles would in future be kept at the Newcastle Quay premises of Robert Tait.
Adjourning the hearing, Horner said that the whole situation was unsatisfactory. Clearly nothing was happening at the authorised operating centre at the moment. There was no evidence concerning which specific vehicles were owned, where they were located, or where they were maintained. There even seemed to be doubt as to the ownership of some of the vehicles.
Horner said he needed clarification of where the operating centres were going to be and for how many vehicles. He required up-to-date financial information and was also very concerned about deteriorating maintenance and convictions against Pulkinghorn.
Consequently, he was directing that an immediate check of the vehicles be carried out by a vehicle examiner, and of the tachograph records and associated administration by a traffic examiner. If it appeared that public safety might be at risk, another public inquiry would be quickly arranged.