Minute
North Lanarkshire Council · 21 March 2023
Back to Regulatory Committee — 21 March 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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REGULATORY - 21 MARCH 2023 131 Motherwell, 21 March 2023 at 10 am. A Meeting of the REGULATORY COMMITTEE PRESENT Councillor McLaren, Convener; Councillor McVey, Vice-Convener; Councillors Ballinger, Baudo, Beveridge, Crichton, Dunbar, Fisher, Hughes, Robb and Thomas. CHAIR Councillor McLaren (Convener) presided. IN ATTENDANCE The Principal Solicitor and Administrative Officer, Legal and Democratic Solutions. ALSO IN ATTENDANCE In respect of paragraphs 1 to 4 – Sergeant Brown, Police Scotland. APOLOGIES Councillors Docherty, Shevlin and Watson. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN TERMS OF THE ETHICAL STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE ETC. (SCOTLAND) ACT 2000 1. No declarations were made. It was agreed in terms of Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, that the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 and 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act. HEARINGS (1) PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER’S LICENCE – NEW APPLICATION – SUKHVIR SINGH 2. There was submitted (1) an application by Sukhvir Singh for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence, and (2) an objection to the application received from the Chief Constable, Police Scotland. The Administrative Officer then indicated that Sukhvir Singh was not in attendance. The Committee then heard Sergeant Brown advise that, given the circumstances, she had no objection to consideration of the application being continued. Decided: that consideration of the application by Sukhvir Singh for a Private Hire Driver’s Licence be continued to allow the applicant a further opportunity to appear before the Committee to speak in respect of the application.
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REGULATORY - 21 MARCH 2023 132 (2) PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER’S LICENCE – COMPLAINT – DAVID HANLON 3. In terms of paragraph 11 of Schedule 1 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, there was submitted (1) a complaint received from the Chief Constable, Police Scotland, relative to David Hanlon, who currently held a Private Hire Driver’s Licence, and (2) character references for David Hanlon. The Administrative Officer then indicated that David Hanlon was not in attendance. The Committee then heard Sergeant Brown advise that, given the circumstances, she had no objection to consideration of the matter being continued. Decided: that consideration of the complaint received from the Chief Constable, Police Scotland, relative to David Hanlon, in respect of his Private Hire Driver’s Licence, be continued to allow David Hanlon a further opportunity to appear before the Committee to speak in respect of the matter. (3) PRIVATE HIRE CAR OPERATOR’S LICENCE – RENEWAL – DAVID HANLON 4. There was submitted (1) an application by David Hanlon for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence, and (2) an objection to the application received from the Chief Constable, Police Scotland. The Administrative Officer then indicated that David Hanlon was not in attendance. The Committee then heard Sergeant Brown advise that, given the circumstances, she had no objection to consideration of the matter being continued. Decided: that consideration of the application by David Hanlon for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence be continued to allow the applicant a further opportunity to appear before the Committee to speak in respect of the application. (4) TAXI OPERATOR’S LICENCE AND PRIVATE HIRE CAR OPERATOR’S LICENCE – RENEWALS (a) ROBERT JOHN THOMSON 5. There was submitted an application by Robert John Thomson for the renewal of his Taxi Operator’s Licence. The Principal Solicitor then advised the Committee that Robert John Thomson did not have an age compliant vehicle in accordance with the Council’s vehicle specification. The Committee then heard Robert John Thomson speak in respect of the application for the renewal of his Taxi Operator’s Licence. Thereafter, Robert John Thomson withdrew from the meeting and the Committee resumed consideration of the matter. Robert John Thomas was then readmitted to the meeting. Councillor Robb, seconded by Councillor Fisher, moved that the application by Robert John Thomson for the renewal of his Taxi Operator’s Licence be refused. Councillor McVey, seconded by Councillor Dunbar, moved, as an amendment, that the application by Robert John Thomson for the renewal of his Taxi Operator’s Licence be granted for a period of 18 months, effective from 30 June 2022.
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REGULATORY - 21 MARCH 2023 133 On a vote being taken, 4 Members voted for the amendment, 6 Members voted for the motion, and 1 Member abstained. The motion was accordingly declared carried. Decided: that the application by Robert John Thomson for the renewal of his Taxi Operator’s Licence be refused. (b) BRIAN BRYCE AND JOHN BOYLE 6. There was submitted an application by Brian Bryce and John Boyle for the renewal of their Taxi Operator’s Licence. The Principal Solicitor then advised the Committee that Brian Bryce and John Boyle did not have an age compliant vehicle in accordance with the Council’s vehicle specification. The Committee then heard John Boyle speak in respect of the application for the Renewal of his Taxi Operator’s Licence, which he jointly held with Brian Bryce. Thereafter, John Boyle withdrew from the meeting and the Committee resumed consideration of the matter. John Boyle was then re-admitted to the meeting. Councillor Robb, seconded by Councillor Fisher, moved that the application by Brian Bryce and John Boyle for the renewal of their Taxi Operator’s Licence be refused. Councillor Dunbar, seconded by Councillor Beveridge, moved, as an amendment, that the application by Brian Bryce and John Boyle for the renewal of their Taxi Operator’s Licence be granted for a period of 12 months, effective from 31 January 2023. On a vote being taken, 4 Members voted for the amendment, 6 Members voted for the motion, and 1 Member abstained. The motion was accordingly declared carried. Decided: that the application by Brian Bryce and John Boyle for the renewal of their Taxi Operator’s Licence be refused. (c) MARTIN JONES 7. There was submitted an application by Martin Jones for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence. The Administrative Officer then indicated that Martin Jones was not in attendance. Thereafter, the Committee resumed consideration of the matter in Martin Jones absence. Decided: that consideration of the application by Martin Jones for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence be continued to allow the applicant a further opportunity to appear before the Committee to speak in respect of the application. (d) KHALID AMIN 8. There was submitted an application by Khalid Amin for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator's Licence.
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REGULATORY - 21 MARCH 2023 134 The Principal Solicitor then advised the Committee that Khalid Amin did not have an age compliant vehicle in accordance with the Council's vehicle specification. The Committee then heard Khalid Amin, who was accompanied by his wife, Ewelina Amin, speak in respect of the application for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator's Licence. Thereafter, Khalid Amin and Ewelina Amin withdrew from the meeting and the Committee resumed consideration of the matter. Khalid Amin was then re-admitted to the meeting. Decided: that the application by Khalid Amin for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator's Licence be granted for a period of 18 months, effective from 28 February 2023. (e) ROBERT RAMSAY AND ROBERT RAMSAY JUNIOR 9. There was submitted an application by Robert Ramsay and Robert Ramsay Junior for the renewal of their Taxi Operator's Licence. The Principal Solicitor then advised the Committee that Robert Ramsay and Robert Ramsay Junior did not have an age compliant vehicle in accordance with the Council's vehicle specification. The Committee then heard Robert Ramsay speak in respect of the application for the renewal of his Taxi Operator's Licence, which he jointly held with his son, Robert Ramsay Junior. Thereafter, Robert Ramsay withdrew from the meeting and the Committee resumed consideration of the matter. Robert Ramsay was then re-admitted to the meeting. Councillor Dunbar, seconded by Councillor Crichton, moved that the application by Robert Ramsay and Robert Ramsay Junior for the renewal of their Taxi Operator's Licence be granted for a period of 18 months, effective from 31 March 2023. Councillor Robb, seconded by Councillor Fisher, moved, as an amendment, that the application by Robert Ramsay and Robert Ramsay Junior for the renewal of their Taxi Operator's Licence be refused. On a vote being taken, 4 Members voted for the amendment, and 7 Members voted for the motion, which was accordingly declared carried. Decided: that the application by Robert Ramsay and Robert Ramsay Junior for the renewal of their Taxi Operator's Licence be granted for a period of 18 months, effective from 31 March 2023. (f) SAMUEL DEVOY 10. There was submitted an application by Samuel Devoy for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator's Licence. The Principal Solicitor then advised the Committee that Samuel Devoy did not have an age compliant vehicle in accordance with the Council's vehicle specification. The Committee then heard Samuel Devoy speak in respect of the application for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator's Licence.
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REGULATORY - 21 MARCH 2023 135 Thereafter, Samuel Devoy withdrew from the meeting and the Committee resumed consideration of the matter. Samuel Devoy was then re-admitted to the meeting. Decided: that the application by Samuel Devoy for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator's Licence be granted for a period of 12 months, effective from 31 January 2023. The Convener, being of the opinion that the following item of business was of an urgent nature, authorised its consideration to enable the Committee to progress the matter timeously. (g) CRAIG STEWART 11. There was submitted an application by Craig Stewart for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator's Licence. The Principal Solicitor then advised the Committee that Craig Stewart did not have an age compliant vehicle in accordance with the Council's vehicle specification. The Committee then heard Craig Stewart speak in respect of the application for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator's Licence. Thereafter, Craig Stewart withdrew from the meeting and the Committee resumed consideration of the matter. Craig Stewart was then re-admitted to the meeting. Decided: that the application by Craig Stewart for the renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator's Licence be granted for a period of 18 months, effective from 30 November 2022.