Licensing Committee - 31/03/2005

At a MEETING of the LICENSING COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 31st March, 2005.

Present:-

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Bailie Bruce MACKIE, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 3rd March, 2005 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I MINUTE OF MEETING OF TAXI LIAISON GROUP HELD ON 22ND SEPTEMBER, 2004

The minute of the above meeting (Appendix I) was submitted for information.

II CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982

(a) HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION - NEW APPLICATIONS

There were submitted the undernoted applications:-

There being no objections, the Committee agreed to grant the above applications.

The Committee agreed to defer the undernoted applications.

(b) HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION - REQUEST FOR VARIATION

DMH Properties had requested a variation to their existing licence in respect of premises at 105B Nethergate (2nd Floor) for a change of occupancy from 4 persons to 5 persons.

The Committee agreed to the above variation.

(c) LATE HOURS CATERING LICENCE - NEW APPLICATION

The Committee noted that the above application had been withdrawn.

(d) PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER'S LICENCE - NEW APPLICATION

There being no objections, the Committee agreed that the undernoted application be granted.

(e) PRIVATE HIRE CAR LICENCE - NEW APPLICATIONS

There were submitted the undernoted applications:-

In the case of Application Nos 1 to 4 and 6, there being no objections, the Committee agreed that the applications be granted. In the case of Application No 5, the Committee noted that it had been withdrawn.

(f) PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT LICENCE - NEW APPLICATIONS

Councillor Webster declared a non-financial interest in respect of Application Nos 1 to 3 by virtue of his employment at the University of Dundee.

In the case of Application Nos 1 to 3, the Committee having heard from an officer from Environmental Health and Trading Standards, agreed to grant the applications subject to satisfactory inspections.

In the case of Application No 4, there being no objections, the Committee agreed to grant the application.

(g) SECOND HAND DEALER'S LICENCE - NEW APPLICATION

There being no objections, the Committee agreed to grant the undernoted application:-

(h) STREET TRADER - NEW APPLICATION

There being no objections, the Committee agreed to grant the undernoted application:-

(i) TAXI DRIVER'S LICENCE - NEW APPLICATIONS

There were submitted the undernoted applications:-

In the case of Application Nos 1 to 9, there being no objections, the Committee agreed to grant the applications.

In the case of Applications 10 and 11, the Committee, after hearing that the applicants had failed to pass a street test within the prescribed period, agreed to refuse the applications.

(j) TAXI LICENCE - NEW APPLICATIONS

There were submitted the undernoted applications:-

There being no objections, the Committee agreed that the above applications be granted subject to the standard conditions.

(k) WINDOW CLEANER'S LICENCE - NEW APPLICATIONS

There were submitted the undernoted applications:-

There being no objections, the Committee agreed to grant the above applications.

III TAXI LIAISON GROUP

The Committee were informed that the Dundee Taxi Association had requested an additional representative at the Taxi Liaison Group to represent their members who have accessible vehicles and that a request had been received from an individual wheelchair accessible taxi operator to be appointed to membership.

The Committee agreed to an additional representative on the Taxi Liaison Group from the Dundee Taxi Association to represent members with accessible vehicles but deferred a request from a Mr Thoreson for membership pending evidence that he represents a group of operators.

IV MARCHES AND PARADES

There was submitted Report No 196-2005 by the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) advising the Committee of the Scottish Executive's proposals for reform of the law relating to marches and parades and seeking instructions for replying to the Consultation Paper containing the proposals.

The Committee agreed to remit to the Depute Chief Executive (Support Services) to reply on behalf of the Council noting the proposals for reform of the law relating to marches and parades contained in the Consultation Paper "Supporting Police, Protecting Communities" and to raise the concerns of the Committee regarding some of the proposals.

V MISCELLANEOUS LICENSING FEES

Following a review in conjunction with the Depute Chief Executive (Finance), the Committee agreed that the following fees be charged with effect from 1st April, 2005.

There were no increases proposed to any fees for licences under Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

VI TAXI TEST FEES

The Committee agreed to approve the fees as undernoted with effect from 1st April, 2005.

VII ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES

Following consultation with the taxi trade through the Taxi Liaison Group, it was recommended that the specification for approval by the Committee of accessible taxis be upgraded from low volume type approval to European whole vehicle type approval.

Currently the vehicles which had such approval were:-

1 TX1 (1999 last model in range)

2 TX2 including newer models

3 Peugeot European Taxi

4 Euro 7

5 Peugeot E7 and E7 SE

This approval will only apply to those persons applying for a Taxi Licence on or after 1st April, 2005.

The Committee agreed accordingly.

VIII CHANGE OF DATE OF MEETING

The next meeting of the Committee was scheduled to take place on 5th May, 2005 and as there was likely to be a UK Parliamentary Election held on that date, it was recommended that the meeting be cancelled and rescheduled to take place on 12th May, 2005.

The Committee agreed accordingly.

BRUCE D MACKIE, Convener.