Agenda, decisions and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found here.

 

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.

 

The Committee was advised that the applications/requests listed at item 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/items of business 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 9 on the agenda.

The Committee had before it a request for deputation from Mr Mark Cullen, Taxi Driver in relation to item 8.2 (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 8.2 (Taxi Fare Review) on the agenda.

The Committee had before it the minute of its meeting of 20 August 2019 for approval.

 

The Committee resolved:

to approve the minute as a correct record.

The Committee had before it the minutes of the meetings of the Sub Committee of 14 August, 11 September, 30 September and 11 October 2019 for approval.

 

The Committee resolved:

to approve the minutes as correct records.

The Committee had had before it the minute of meeting of the Taxi and Private Hire Car Consultation Group of 2 October 2019.

 

With reference to article 9(A) of the minute (Bus Gates), the Convener advised that the Consultation Group agreed to request that the Committee consider referring the matter of allowing access for private hire car drivers through bus gates to the Operational Delivery Committee for their consideration, noting that taxi drivers were currently able to do so.

 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        to refer the matter of allowing access for private hire car drivers through bus gates to the Operational Delivery Committee for their consideration; and

(ii)       to otherwise note the minute.        

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

 

The Committee resolved:

to note the committee business planner.

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 a report by the Chief Officer – Governance which provided information in relation to the review of the current Public Charitable Collection Policy to ensure that it was still fit for purpose.

 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       amend the policy to allow Street Collections to be permitted on any three days in a week, but not on consecutive days; and

(b)       grant delegated powers to the Chief Officer – Governance to grant permission for collections to be conducted at organised events, on any day, where no representations are received.

 

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

In accordance with article 2 of this minute, the Committee received a deputation from Mr Mark Cullen, Taxi Driver in relation to item 8.2 (Taxi Fare Review) on the agenda.

 

Mr Cullen advised that he was a current taxi driver working for one of the two major taxi companies in the city and that he had canvassed the views of drivers in the trade through the two main social media sites which drivers subscribe to.

He indicated that the vast majority of respondents were broadly in favour of the proposed option to increase the taxi fare as outlined at section 3.4.1 of the report. He made reference to the downturn in the North East of Scotland economy, particularly the oil and gas industry and outlined the impact that this has had on business and leisure, although acknowledging that this industry had seen some recovery from early 2018. He made reference to fuel and car operating costs for drivers and the (previous) £40 charge to have taxi meters re-calibrated. He acknowledged that there would be criticism from some members of the public if the rise was approved, however he thought the increase in fares would be fair.

 

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Governance which provided information which would allow the Committee to reach an informed decision on any changes to be made to the current taxi fare tariff and comply with its duty to review taxi fares under section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

 

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       approve either Option A or Option B detailed at section 3.4 of the report as the proposed scales to be advertised for the taxi fare review in terms of section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982;

(b)       instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to amend the fare card at surcharge 5 to reflect the holiday dates for 2020 and 2021;

(c)       instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to advertise the proposed scales agreed in a newspaper circulating in its area for at least one month together with the general effect of the proposed scales and the date when it is proposed that they will take effect; and

(d)       instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to submit a report to the Licensing Committee on 03 December 2019 on the outcome of the consultation on the proposed scales and seeking a final decision on the future taxi fare levels to be adopted from 29 January 2020.

 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        to approve Option A, which was to increase the current basic tariff by 7% as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report; and

(ii)       to approve recommendations (b) to (d) above.

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

 

The press and public were excluded from the meeting for consideration of the applications listed in section 9 on the agenda and appendix B 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 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.

-           COUNCILLOR REYNOLDS, Convener

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

 

1.            RENEWAL of a Licence for a House in Multiple Occupation – 26 BALMORAL ROAD, ABERDEEN

Application Reference 7/01

 

The Committee had before it a report by the Private Sector Housing Manager in respect of the application.

 

The applicant, Mr James Stewart, was in attendance and spoke in support of his application.

 

Two of the three respondents were not in attendance, nor represented.

 

Ms Cecilia Davis, respondent, was in attendance and spoke in support of her letter of representation.

 

The Committee asked questions of the applicant and respondent.

 

The respondent summed up.

 

The applicant summed up.

 

Councillor Delaney, seconded by Councillor Donnelly moved:-

to defer consideration of the application until the works were completed, after which time the Private Sector Housing Manager could grant the licence under delegated powers if appropriate, for one year.

 

Councillor Townson, seconded by Councillor Allan, moved as an amendment:-

to defer consideration of the application until the works were completed, after which time the Private Sector Housing Manager could grant the licence under delegated powers if appropriate, for the full three-year term.

 

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (4) – Councillors Delaney, Donnelly, Henrickson and Mennie; for the amendment (5) – the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillors Allan, Sellar and Townson.

 

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the amendment.

 

 

2.            RENEWAL of a Licence for a House in Multiple Occupation – 456A GREAT WESTERN ROAD, ABERDEEN

Application Reference 7/02

 

The Committee had before it a report by the Private Sector Housing Manager in respect of the application.

 

The applicant’s agent, Mr John Carroll, was in attendance and spoke in support of the application.

 

The respondent’s agent, Mr Dean Purdie, was in attendance and spoke in support of the letter of representation submitted by Ms Frances Wilson.

 

The Committee asked questions of the applicant’s agent and the respondent’s agent.

 

The respondent’s agent summed up.

 

The applicant’s agent summed up.

 

The Committee resolved:-

to grant the renewal of the licence.

 

 

3.            Application for a New Licence for a House in Multiple Occupation – 130 GREAT NORTHERN ROAD, ABERDEEN

Application Reference 7/03

 

The Committee had before it a report by the Private Sector Housing Manager in respect of the application.

 

The applicant’s agent, Mr Alexander Chan, was in attendance and spoke in support of the application.

 

The respondent was not in attendance, nor represented.

 

The Committee resolved:-

to grant the licence.

 

 

4.         RENEWAL of a Licence for a House in Multiple Occupation – 225 UNION GROVE, ABERDEEN

Application Reference 7/04

 

The Committee had before it a report by the Private Sector Housing Manager in respect of the application.

 

The applicant’s agent, Mr Chris Minchin, was in attendance and spoke  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.