Licensing Committee - 10/01/2012

At a MEETING of the LICENSING COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 10th January, 2012.

Present:-

Bailie Roderick A J WALLACE

COUNCILLORS

Bailie Roderick A J WALLACE, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 20th December 2011 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

The Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3, 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

I CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982

(a) TAXI DRIVER'S LICENCE - SUSPENSION HEARINGS

(i)                                         Reference was made to Article I(a) of the minute of meeting of the Licensing Sub‑Committee held on 29th November, 2011, wherein the Taxi Driver's Licence held by Mr F A was suspended with immediate effect.

The Committee noted that the licence holder was not present and agreed that the matter be considered in their absence. There was submitted a letter of information from the Chief Constable relevant to the alleged conduct of Mr F A during the currency of his Taxi Driver's Licence. The Committee gave consideration to the content of the letter. Thereafter, having heard a representative of the Chief Constable, the Clerk and consideration of the advice of the Legal Officer, the Committee agreed to adjourn the hearing to the meeting of the Licensing Committee to be held on 29th March, 2012 and to continue the suspension of the Taxi Driver's Licence held by Mr F A with immediate effect during the intervening period.

(ii) Reference was made to Article I(a) of the minute of meeting of the Licensing Sub‑Committee held on 19th December, 2011, wherein the Taxi Driver's Licence held by Mr G S was suspended with immediate effect.

The Committee noted that the licence holder was not present and agreed that the matter be considered in their absence. There was submitted a letter of information from the Chief Constable relevant to the alleged conduct of Mr G S during the currency of his Taxi Driver's Licence. The Committee gave consideration to the content of the letter. Thereafter, having heard a representative of the Chief Constable and consideration of the advice of the Legal Officer, the Committee noted that no further action was required as the Driver's Licence held by Mr G S was now forfeit following court proceedings. Therefore, the Taxi Driver's Licence held by Mr G S ceased to have effect.

(b) TAXI DRIVER/TAXI OPERATOR'S LICENCE - SUSPENSION HEARING

Reference was made to Article I(a) of the minute of meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee held on 15th December, 2011, wherein the Taxi Driver's Licence held by Mr D M was suspended with immediate effect.

There was submitted a letter of information from the Chief Constable relevant to the alleged conduct of Mr D M during the currency of his Taxi Driver's and Taxi Operator's Licences. The Committee gave consideration to the content of the letter. Thereafter, having heard a representative of the Chief Constable, consideration of the advice of the Legal Officer and consideration of the content of the letter of support which had been tabled by the licence holder, the Committee agreed to adjourn the hearing to the meeting of the Licensing Committee to be held in June 2012 and to recall the immediate suspension of the Taxi Driver's Licence held by Mr D M during the intervening period.

The Convener agreed that the undernoted item of business be considered as a matter of urgency in terms of Standing Order No 17(b) in view of the timescales involved.

(c) TAXI DRIVER'S LICENCE - NEW APPLICATION

There was submitted an application by Mr M K for a Taxi Driver's Licence.

There was submitted a letter of information from the Principal General Services Officer relevant to this application. The Committee gave consideration to the content of the letter. Thereafter, having heard the applicant on their own behalf, the Committee agreed to grant a temporary licence, subject to the applicant submitting details of his Unique Tax Reference Number (UTRN) to the satisfaction of the Licensing Department.

Roderick A J WALLACE, Convener.