Licensing and Registration Panel

Thursday 23 May 2002 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Councillors Calvert, McCormick, McGraw, Morrison (D), Morrison (M) and Rebecchi.

Chair:  Councillor Morrison (D) presided.

In attendance:  Mr G Douglas (for Director of Legal & Support Services), Mr W Wilson (Acting Head of Leisure & Community Support Services) and Mr I Smith (Taxi Inspector).

Apologies:  Councillor Nimmo.

The following paragraphs are submitted for information only, having been dealt with under the powers delegated to the Panel.

461

Application for Market Operator's Licence:  Audrey Fenton Events

461

There was submitted a report dated 14 May 2002 by the Director of Legal & Support Services requesting the Panel to consider an application for a market operator's licence by Audrey Fenton Events to allow the operation of a market selling meat, game and vegetables to take place at Clyde Square, Greenock on one Saturday per month between 9.00 am and 4.00 pm and including as an appendix a draft licence for consideration.

Mr Douglas advised that following further discussion with the Head of Environmental & Consumer Services he had been advised and agreed to recommend omission of condition 10 of the draft licence as unnecessary.

Decided:    that the application be granted until 1 May 2003 subject to the conditions detailed in the appendix, omitting condition 10, and adding a further condition that the sale of alcohol at the market be permitted subject to approval by Inverclyde Licensing Board.

462

Signage on Private Hire Vehicles

462

There was submitted a report dated 14 May 2002 by the Director of Legal & Support Services, in response to a remit (minute reference 4/4/2002, para 309), on options for exterior signage to be permitted on private hire vehicles.  The Panel heard Mr Smith, Taxi Inspector, and Chief Inspector McGrath, Strathclyde Police.

Decided:  that it be agreed that signage for private hire vehicles be introduced on the basis of (1) a rear licence plate, white in colour, in similar form to a taxi licence but with the addition of the vehicle registration number and (2) stickers for the rear side door windows of the vehicle with the Council name, the registration number of the vehicle and confirmation that it is licensed for private hire.

463

Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002

463

There was submitted a report by the Director of Community & Protective Services advising of the introduction of the Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002, which amends the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977, to allow a choice of venues for civil marriage ceremonies.

Decided:

(1)   that the contents of the report be noted;  and

(2)   that it be remitted to the Director of Community & Protective Services to submit a further report to the next meeting of the Panel on progress being made, including proposals for the establishment of a fee for civil marriages held at locations other than registration offices and a licensing fee for those locations.

464

Application for Taxi Licence:  Joseph Phillips

464

There was submitted a report dated 2 May 2002 by the Director of Legal & Support Services advising of the use of the emergency powers procedure under Standing Order 66(a) to authorise the grant of a taxi licence to Mr Joseph Phillips who had omitted to make timeous application for his licence to be renewed before it expired.

Noted

It was agreed in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended that the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 6 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

465

Application for Taxi Driver's Licence:  Brian Dobbin

465

There was submitted a report dated 14 May 2002 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on an application for a taxi driver’s licence by Brian Dobbin following an objection by the Chief Constable that the applicant was not a fit and proper person to hold such a licence by virtue of his previous convictions.  It was noted that this application had been continued from the previous meeting to allow the applicant's Solicitor to be present.  The Panel heard Chief Inspector McGrath, Miss Cook, agent for the applicant, and Mr Dobbin.

Decided:  that the application be refused.