Agenda item

(A)       In terms of Standing Order 10(2), the Council received a deputation from Mr Russell McLeod, Rainbow Cars Ltd.  Mr McLeod welcomed the report and explained that despite the recommendations of the survey he wished for the limit on the number of taxi licences to be removed completely.  He highlighted that Rainbow Cars had received 50,000 calls in September 2014 which it could not provide a service to due to the limit on the number of taxi licences.  In order to ensure a quality and efficient service and to meet customers’ requirements he believed that the number of taxis needed to be increased vastly and therefore did not feel that that the proposed increase of 30 taxi licences would meet the existing demand.

Members asked a number of questions of the deputation.

(B)       In terms of Standing Order 10(2), the Council received a deputation from Mr Tommy Campbell, Unite the Union, who requested that further consultation on the survey report be undertaken.  He explained that further consultation and input from the trade was required in order to ensure the survey explored all potential solutions to existing taxi demand.  Therefore, he requested that the Committee defer consideration of the report and request officers to arrange a meeting with Committee, author of the report and all interested parties and report back thereafter.

Members asked a number of questions of the deputation.

(C)      In terms of Standing Order 10(2), the Council received a deputation from Mr Mark Cullen, who advised that he agreed with Mr McLeod that increasing the number of licences by thirty would not achieve the desired outcome and therefore that the limit on the number of taxi licences should be removed.  He highlighted the issue of existing taxi drivers not wishing to work at peak times and emphasised that the proposed increase of thirty would not address this issue.

Members asked a number of questions of the deputation.

(D)       With reference to article 12 of the minute of the meeting of 17 September 2013, the Committee (1) received a presentation from Ian Millership, CTS Traffic and Transportation Ltd, in relation to the results of the taxi demand survey and (2) had before it a report by the acting Director of Corporate Governance which presented the results of the taxi demand survey undertaken by CTS Traffic and Transportation Ltd.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       note the results of the Survey and agree to an additional thirty taxi licences bringing the maximum number of taxi licences to 1079 (“Option 2”);

(b)       instruct authorised officers of Legal and Democratic Services to process applications on the waiting list for taxi licences in accordance with the procedure as set out in this report; and

(c)        instruct authorised officers of Legal and Democratic Services to consult with officers from Communities and Housing to establish information sharing procedures as part of the monitoring process referred to in recommendation (a) and report back to the Committee on progress within two cycles.

Councillor Boulton, seconded by the Convener, moved –

that the Committee approve the recommendations and to instruct authorised officers of Legal and Democratic Services to arrange a meeting with the survey author if possible and the relevant trade representatives to discuss the report and report back to the Committee on the outcome of the discussions within two cycles.

Councillor Corall, seconded by Councillor Townson, moved as an amendment –

that the Committee note the survey results and agree to remove the limit on the number of taxi licences in its entirety.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (9) – the Convener and Councillors Blackman, Boulton, Lesley Dunbar, Forsyth, Graham, MacGregor, Malik and Townson; for the amendment (1) – Councillor Corall.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion.