APPROVED Minute of Licensing Committee - 19 February 2025 v2
West Dunbartonshire Council · 19 February 2025
Back to Licensing Committee — 19 February 2025 and its agenda
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LICENSING COMMITTEE At a Meeting of the Licensing Committee held in the Council Chambers, Clydebank Town Hall, 5 Hall Street, Clydebank on Wednesday, 19 February 2025 at 2.00 p.m. Present: Councillors Ian Dickson, Fiona Hennebry, Lawrence O’Neill, Chris Pollock and Gordon Scanlan. Attending: Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services; Robert Mackie, Senior Licensing Officer and Lynn Straker, Committee Officer. Also Attending: Sergeant David Holmes, Police Scotland; Mr Aidan Carr; Mr John Watters; Mr Stephen McEwan; Mr Mark Hollern and Mr Alastair Morton. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Gurpreet Singh Johal, John Millar and Hazel Sorrell. Councillor Lawrence O’Neill in Chair DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST It was noted that there were no declarations of interest in any of the items of business on the agenda. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of Meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 11 December 2024 were submitted and approved as a correct record. OPEN FORUM The Committee noted that no open forum questions had been submitted by members of the public. APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF A TAXI/PRIVATE HIRE CAR DRIVER’S LICENCE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration requesting the Committee to consider an application for grant of a Taxi/Private Hire Car Driver’s Licence submitted by Mr Aidan Carr.
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Members first heard from Sergeant David Holmes, Police Scotland in detail of their objection to the Application and then heard from the applicant, Mr Aidan Carr, in support of the application. After discussion and having heard Mr Aidan Carr in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, Members agreed to grant the application. DECIDED:- Members agreed to grant the application. APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF A SHORT-TERM LET LICENCE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration requesting the Committee to consider an application for grant of a Short-Term Let Licence submitted by Ms Marcela Morton for Whiteleys Farm - House 1. Members heard from Mr Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services, who noted a Building Standards representative was unable to attend today and as such, would be unable to answer any questions from Members and/or applicant. Members agreed to a continuation of the hearing, to a special meeting of the Licensing Committee which would be held in the short term future to allow a Building Standards representative to attend. DECIDED:- Members agreed to a continuation of the hearing, to a special meeting of the Licensing Committee which would be held in the short-term future, to allow a Building Standards representative to attend. APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF A SHORT-TERM LET LICENCE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration requesting the Committee to consider an application for grant of a Short -Term Let Licence submitted by Ms Marcela Morton for Whiteleys Farm - House 2. Members heard from Mr Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services, who noted a Building Standards representative was unable to attend today and as such would be unable to answer any questions from Members and/or applicant. Members agreed to a continuation of the hearing, to a special meeting of the Licensing Committee which would be held in the short-term future, to allow a Building Standards representative to attend.
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DECIDED:- Members agreed to a continuation of the hearing, to a special meeting of the Licensing Committee which would be held in the short-term future, to allow a Building Standards representative to attend. APPLICATION FOR GRANT OF A SHORT-TERM LET LICENCE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration requesting the Committee to consider an application for grant of a Short-Term Let Licence submitted by Ms Marcela Morton for Whiteleys Farm - House 3. Members heard from Mr Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services, who noted a Building Standards representative was unable to attend today and as such would be unable to answer any questions from Members and/or applicant. Members agreed to a continuation of the hearing, to a special meeting of the Licensing Committee which would be held in the short-term future, to allow a Building Standards representative to attend. DECIDED:- Members agreed to a continuation of the hearing, to a special meeting of the Licensing Committee which would be held in the short term future to allow a Building Standards representative to attend. CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982 REVIEW OF TAXI FARES AND CHARGES DUMBARTON & VALE OF LEVEN TAXI LICENSING ZONE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration providing information on the review of fares and charges applicable to taxis operating within the Dumbarton andVale of Leven Taxi Licensing Zone. After discussion and having heard Mr Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services in further explanation, Members agreed that the proposed changes to the current level of fares and charges applicable to the Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Taxi Licensing Zone, submitted by the trade association for the Dumbarton & Vale of Leven area, be considered as follows:- Alter the time period when Tariffs will apply as follows:- Tariff One and Tariff Four to change from the existing 6.00am until 9.00pm on Monday to Sunday to 7.00am until 7.00pm on Monday to Friday. Tariff Two and Tariff Five to change from the existing 9.00pm until 6.00am on Monday to Sunday to 7.00pm until 7.00am on Monday to Thursday and from 7.00pm until 7.00am on Friday to Monday.
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Tariff Three and Tariff Six to change from the existing starting point of 6.00pm on 24th December and 31st December to 7.00am. Tariff Three and Tariff Six to change from the existing ending point of 6.00am on 27th December and 3rd January to 7.00am. Increase the flagfall as follows:- Tariff One to increase from £3.50 to £4.00 Tariff Two to increase from £4.10 to £5.20 Tariff Three to increase from £5.50 to £7.00 Tariff Four to increase from £4.50 to £5.00 Tariff Five to increase from £5.10 to £7.00 Tariff Six to increase from £7.00 to £10.00 A £25.00 charge shall be payable for a taxi booking made by telephone or via App where the taxi has been booked to uplift passengers from outside the West Dunbartonshire area and the passengers are not at the pick-up point after the pre- arranged time. Running mile increasing by 20p on Tariff One, 20p on Tariff Two, £1.80 on Tariff Three, 20p on Tariff Four, 40p on Tariff Five and £1.60 on Tariff Six. Waiting time will decrease from £36.00 per hour to £24.00 per hour; That officers arrange for the advertisement of the fares and charges agreed by the Committee and review any representations received. That authority be delegated to the Chief Officer – Regulatory & Regeneration, in consultation with the Chair of the Licensing Committee, to conclude the review without the requirement for the Committee to consider a further report on the matter provided no representations are received in relation to the proposal. TAXI FARE REVIEW UPDATE A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration advising on the outcome of a consultation in relation to the Licensing Section’s practice in relation to taxi fare reviews. After discussion and having heard Mr Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services, Members agreed:- (1) to note the consultation responses received from holders of taxi operator licences; and (2) to approve the taxi fare review procedure outlined at Appendix 1 in the report.
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UPDATE AND REVIEW OF LICENSING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration informing of the proposed review of the Licensing Section’s licensing policies and procedures, to make sure that they align with the Council’s broader equalities objectives, as well as considering the needs of the community and licensed trade. After discussion and having heard Mr Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services, in further explanation, Members agreed to note and approve the review of licensing policies and procedures. UPDATE AND REVIEW OF SHORT-TERM LET LICENSING POLICY A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration advising of the commencement of a review of the implementation of the Short-term Let Licensing Policy and the steps required to reflect changes further to the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-Term Lets) Amendment Order 2024. After discussion and having heard Mr Michael McDougall, Manager of Legal Services, in further explanation, Members agreed:- (1) to note the steps being taken to review the implementation of the Short-term Let Licensing Policy; (2) to note the terms of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-Term Lets) Amendment Order 2024; and (3) to approve the updated Policy in relation to short-term let licences, subject to any further technical modifications thought necessary by the Chief Officer- Regulatory and Regeneration, to implement the new licence types. The meeting closed at 2.32 p.m.