Licensing and Registration Panel

Wednesday 13 August 2003 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Councillors Gallacher, McCormick (M), McCormick (P) (for Councillor Moran), McKenzie, Nimmo, Snoddy and Tucker. 

Chair:  Councillor Snoddy presided.

In attendance:  Mr G Douglas (for Director of Legal & Support Services).

Apologies: Councillor Moran.

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

547

Application for Street Trader’s Licence: Sarah Fraser: MacKenzie Street, Greenock

547

There was submitted a report dated 31 July 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on an application by Mrs Sarah Fraser for a Street Trader’s Licence to allow her to operate a snack van in MacKenzie Street, Cappielow Industrial Estate, Greenock between the hours of 7 am and 6 pm on Mondays to Saturdays.  The Head of Transportation & Roads Service had submitted comments regarding the application and a letter of objection to the application had also been received.  The Panel heard Mr McCarron on behalf of the Head of Transportation & Roads Service and Mrs Fraser in support of her application.

Decided:  that the application be granted.

548

Application for Street Trader’s Licence: Christopher Kelly: Patrick Street, Greenock

548

There was submitted a report dated 31 July 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services advising that, consequent on the applicant’s decision to discontinue trading, the application has been withdrawn.

Noted

549

Application for Street Trader’s Licence: Enrico Giovanacci: Main Street, Inverkip

549

There was submitted a report dated 1 August 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on an application by Enrico Giovanacci to allow him to operate a snack van in Main Street, Inverkip between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm daily.  Letters of objection had been received from Councillor Forbes as Ward Councillor and from a number of members of the public.

Mr Douglas also advised that following informal consultation with Amey Contracts on behalf of the National Roads Directorate, Amey had advised that they would object to the application because, on the basis of the information available, it would provide a distraction to those using the nearby A78 trunk road.  The Panel heard Mr Giovanacci in support of his application.

Following discussion, Councillor Tucker moved that the application be granted for a period of 6 months for trading hours of 8 am to 4 pm daily subject to the condition that no advertising of the snack van be permitted.

As an amendment, Councillor Nimmo moved that the application be refused on the grounds of road safety.

On a vote 2 Members voted for the amendment and 5 Members for the motion which was declared carried.

Decided:  that the application be granted for a period of 6 months for trading hours of

8 am to 4 pm daily subject to the condition that no advertising of the snack van be permitted.

550

Taxi Ranks within Port Glasgow Town Centre

550

There was submitted a report dated 28 July 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services advising that the proposals to amend the designations for the 2 current taxi stances at Station Road and Scarlow Street, Port Glasgow respectively had been dealt with in terms of Section 19 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and had attracted no objection or other comment. 

Decided:  that the amended designation of the taxi stances at Station Road and Scarlow Street, Port Glasgow be confirmed and it be remitted to the Director of Legal & Support Services to take all necessary action in connection therewith.

551

Application for Taxi Licence: Gordon Mowat

551

There was submitted a report dated 28 July 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services advising of the use of the powers delegated to the Chief Executive to authorise the grant of a taxi licence to Mr Mowat who had omitted to make timeous application for the licence to be renewed before it expired.

Noted

552

Taxi Fares Review

552

There was submitted a report dated 5 August 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services advising of the outcome of the informal consultation process for the annual review of taxi fares, namely, proposals put forward by the Lower Clyde Taxi Owners’ Association and comments on those proposals.

There was also submitted (a) an amended form of Appendix 3 to the report and (b) a suggested taxi fares scales allowing for a 3% increase in the initial and subsequent charges to reflect the approximate increase in costs to the taxi trade over the past year.

Decided:

(1)   that for the purposes of public consultation, the Council’s proposals for a review of taxi fares be as follows:-

TARIFF 1   Hirings from ranks or ‘flag’ hirings begun between 6 am and midnight       £1.50

                   Initial charge (1,215  yards or part thereof)

                   Subsequent charge (each additional 151 yards or part thereof)       10p

                   Approximate cost for first mile                                                        £1.90

                   Approximate cost for each additional mile                                      £1.20

TARIFF 2   Hirings from ranks or ‘flag’ hirings begun between midnight and 6 am

                   and all pre-booked hirings begun between 6 am and midnight

                   Initial charge (1,179 yards or part thereof)                                      £1.60

                   Subsequent charge (each additional 147 yards or part thereof)       10p

                   Approximate cost for first mile                                                        £2.00

                   Approximate cost for each additional mile                                      £1.20

TARIFF 3   Pre-booked hirings begun between midnight and 6 am and

                   hirings from ranks or ‘flag’ hirings on 25, 26 and 31 December

                   and 1 and 2 January

                   Initial charge (1,179 yards or part thereof)                                      £1.80

                   Subsequent charge (each additional 131 yards or part thereof)       10p

                   Approximate cost for first mile                                                        £2.30

                   Approximate cost for each additional mile                                      £1.40

WAITING    For each period of 35 seconds or part thereof                                  10p

TIME

SOILING    Charge dependent on severity up to a maximum of                     £15.00

CHARGE

VAT            The foregoing charges are inclusive of Value Added Tax; and

(2)   that it be remitted to the Director of Legal & Support Services to advertise these proposals in accordance with the statutory procedure and to submit a further report on the result of the advertisement.

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 items of business on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

553

Application for Taxi Driver’s Licence: Brian Dobbin

553

There was submitted a report dated 28 July 2003 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 conduct.

Decided:  that the application be refused.

554

Application for Taxi Driver’s Licence: Robert Wilson

554

There was submitted a report dated 30 July 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on an application for a taxi driver’s licence by Robert Wilson  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 conduct. The Panel heard Chief Inspector Pearson and Mr Wilson. 

Decided:  that the application be granted.

555

Application for Taxi Driver’s Licence: Stefano Sassarini

555

There was submitted a report dated 28 July 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on an application for a taxi driver’s licence by Stefano Sassarini 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.

The Panel was advised that the application had now been withdrawn.

Noted

556

Request for Suspension of Taxi Driver’s Licence: Joseph Cush

556

There was submitted a report dated 29 July 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services requesting the Panel to consider the suspension of the taxi driver’s licence held by Mr Joseph Cush on the ground that he was no longer a fit and proper person to hold a taxi driver’s licence by virtue of his medical condition.  The licence had been suspended by the Panel at its previous meeting on 23 June 2003. 

The Panel heard Ms McGuire, agent for the applicant and Mr Cush.

There was circulated further correspondence on behalf of Mr Cush and from the Council’s Medical Adviser, Dr Sykes.

Decided:  that the taxi driver’s licence held by Mr Joseph Cush be suspended immediately for the remainder of its term.

557

Application for Taxi Driver’s Licence: Joseph Cush

557

There was submitted a report dated 29 July 2003 by the Director of Legal & Support Services on an application for a taxi driver’s licence by Joseph Cush, consideration of which application had been continued from the Panel’s previous meeting on 23 June 2003, and which had been referred to the Panel due to an adverse medical report by the Council’s Medical Adviser, Dr Sykes.

There was also circulated further correspondence on behalf of Mr Cush and from the Council’s Medical Adviser, Dr Sykes.  The Panel heard Ms McGuire, agent for the applicant and Mr Cush. 

Decided:  that the application be refused.