Agenda, decisions and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found at:-

https://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=149&MId=6262&Ver=4

Please note that if any changes are made to this minute at the point of approval, these will be outlined in the subsequent minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

In the absence of the Convener, Councillor Malik, Vice Convener, took the Chair for today’s meeting.

The Committee noted that there were no items of urgent business.

The Convener proposed that the Committee consider item 9.1 (Process and Performance for Medical Assessments in relation to Taxi and Private Hire Care Drivers) with the press and public excluded.

The Committee resolved:-

in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of item 9.1 so as to avoid disclosure of exempt information of the classes described in paragraphs 6, 8 and 10 of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

The Committee was advised that the applications listed at item 7 and 8.9 on the agenda were to be heard in private and treated as confidential information in terms of Section 50(A)(3)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

The Committee resolved:

to note that applications/requests to be heard in private and treated as confidential information in terms of Section 50(A)(3)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 were listed at item 7 on the agenda.

The following declaration of interest was intimated at this time:

(i)         Councillor Malik, Convener, declared an interest in relation to item 8.10 (Application for the Renewal of a Private Hire Car Driver's Licence – Rajneesh Rattan), by virtue of knowing the applicant, and withdrew from the meeting prior to consideration of this item.

The Committee had before it a request for deputation from Mr Matthews, Aberdeen International Airport in relation to item 8.25 (Taxi Fare Review) on the agenda.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the deputation and that it would be heard immediately prior to consideration of item 8.25 (Taxi Fare Review) on the agenda.

The Committee had before it a request for deputation from Mr McColl, Aberdeen Taxi Group in relation to item 8.25 (Taxi Fare Review) on the agenda.

The Committee resolved:-

to note the deputation and that it would be heard immediately prior to consideration of item 8.25 (Taxi Fare Review) on the agenda.

The Committee had before it the minutes of its meeting of 6 February and 14 March 2018 for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minutes as correct records.

The Committee had before it the minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Urgent Business Sub Committee of 25 January and 15, 20, 23 and 28 February 2018 for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minutes as correct records.

The Committee had before it the minute of the meeting of the Licensing Evidential Hearings Sub Committee of 19 February 2018 for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record subject to amending the date in the sederunt from 2017 to 2018.

The Committee had before it the minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Sub Committee of 22 March and 3 April 2018.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minutes as correct records.

The Committee had before it the committee business planner as prepared by the Chief Officer – Governance.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to agree that the reports on the taxi demand survey and taxi rank review scheduled to be submitted at the Committee’s meeting in June would be delayed to the Committee’s meeting on 21 August 2018 to provide sufficient time for the external company to complete the survey and review; and

(ii)        to otherwise note the committee business planner.

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

The press and public were excluded from the meeting for consideration of the applications listed in section 7 on the agenda and appendix A of the minute which contained confidential information in terms of Section 50A 3(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

The Committee had before it, for its consideration, the applications listed in Appendix A to this minute.

The Committee resolved:-

that all applications be determined on the basis shown in Appendix A and that all licences were subject to the Council’s standard conditions unless otherwise stated.

The Committee had before it, for its consideration, the applications listed in Appendix B to this minute.

The Committee resolved:-

that all applications be determined on the basis shown in Appendix B and that all licences were subject to the Council’s standard conditions unless otherwise stated.

In accordance with the decision recorded at article 3 of this minute, the following item of business (article 13 of this minute) was considered with the press and public excluded.

With reference to article 3 of appendix A of the minute of the meeting of the Licensing Committee of 6 February 2018, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Governance which detailed the process and performance for medical assessments for taxi and private hire car driver applications.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the processes and performance of Aberdeen City Council’s independent medical provider, in relation to taxi and private hire car driver medical referrals.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

During consideration of the following item of business (article 15 of this minute), the Convener proposed that the Committee suspend Standing Order 39.2 (Length of Meetings) to enable the meeting to continue beyond six hours.

The Committee resolved:-

to agree to suspend Standing Order 39.2 (Length of Meetings).

(A)       In accordance with article 5 of this minute, the Committee received a deputation from Mr Matthews, Aberdeen International Airport in relation to item 8.25 (Taxi Fare Review) on the agenda.

Mr Matthews advised that the Aberdeen International Airport supported the recommendation to remove the wording (airport taxis only) from the surcharge for the airport barrier charge.

He advised that it was the intention of Aberdeen International Airport to bring the operation of the main walk up taxi rank (Green Zone Taxi Operation) in house as of 1 June 2018 as part of a number of changes being introduced which would include investment into improving the Airport Taxi Facilities and a strategy to enhance the overall service provision for passengers.  He explained that Aberdeen International Airport recommended parity of the charge for direct access to the controlled forecourt.  This was to restrict access to unnecessary travel in and out of the forecourt which could become extremely congested at times, in an attempt to improve the Health and Safety of passengers, 3rd parties and members of staff.

The Committee asked a number of questions of Mr Matthews.

(B)       In accordance with article 6 of this minute, the Committee received a deputation from Mr McColl, Aberdeen Taxi Group in relation to item 8.25 (Taxi Fare Review) on the agenda.

Mr McColl advised that the taxi and private hire trade had had meetings with the Council to discuss the taxi fare review and at those meetings there was a consensus that the trade agreed with parts of the report especially in respect to the rise in costs over the last few years.

He explained that it was the Aberdeen Taxi Group’s opinion that costs had actually risen by more than the report stated as although the trade used the same formula they certainly didn’t agree with where some of the information now came from.  He advised that the Aberdeen Taxi Group felt that some of the information was now outdated and using information from 2014 was not ideal.  However, they also accepted that until this formula was changed as part of the bigger picture then there was little that could be done at this time.

He also recommended that the proposed fare structure should not include 2 and 1 pence pieces and asked that the fares be rounded up.  Again the Taxi Group realised this might mean that the increase was slightly higher than 5% but for a working practice for a taxi driver they felt it had to be considered.

Finally, he advised that the Taxi Group certainly agreed that it should only be the basic tariff that was increased and that all extras should stay the same.  Although the tariff might seem complicated to some the Taxi Group felt that it couldn’t be adjusted to the detriment of the taxi driver and therefore all extras should stay the same.

The Committee asked a number of questions of Mr McColl.

(C)       The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.