Taxi Driver Online

I don't know to what instance you refer but obviously it is reality and not hypothetical. Offering views and opinion either before or after a committee meeting is not against the law. Indeed journalistic opinions are offered all the time on a variety of subjects including political meetings either before or after the fact. Second-guessing what a committee might do whether it be at local or national level is a sport journalists and commentators have enjoyed for centuries.

It brings us back to the chestnut of what is legal and what is not? I think you need to draw the distinction of what is legal and what isn't. It is no use saying that if it is not in the public interest it shouldn't be printed. The fact is that most things can be printed but it is up to you to try and convince a council that it should only be published if it is in the public interest?

Obviously your starting point should be with the council and you should ask them to consider that "personal information of license holders should remain personal, until such time the council deems such information relevant to public interest?

JD

Thanks TDO

Another example would be a recent case up here where a driver was wanting a rule changed allowing any color of WAV (non purpose built).

The press got hold of the agenda to the meeting and ran a story in the press.

Would the story have put undue pressure on the councillors making the decision?

Captain Cab

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

In theory Councillors can only make decisions which are reasonable and based on sound factual information. However we all know that many decisions are based on the political agenda of the ruling party. A pro or anti article written in the press may have an effect on some councillors or indeed all but at the end of the day their judgement is not supposed to be prejudiced in any way. Therefore a councillor should be able to set aside his prejudices and act in accordance with his conscience and the information he has before him.

JD

I suspect there's a difference between policy decisions (eg vehicle colour) and "quasi-judicial" proceedings where a person's livelihood could be at stake.

I mean, if you take the recent Renfrewshire case against the driver who made racial remarks, then clearly the case against the driver was made public via the council's published agenda for the meeting, and was also reported in the press. However, I suspect the report was in the main just a rehash of what the council published, since expressing any kind of opinion might have prejudiced a fair hearing. (Note also that the driver's name was never used).

As for policy decisions, I think that prior debate and opinions are all part of the process of a healthy democracy, and the more the better. Councillors could well be prejudiced by party political or personal considerations, but of course in theory this shouldn't happen, but on the other hand it's difficult to prove, unless a smoking gun like a wodge of notes in a brown envelope is found.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

And a certain case in Luton earlier this week where hearsay evidence was overturned?

Captain Cab

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Pardon?

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

I'm trying to get details

Captain Cab

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I would like to see this one

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Its a pointless argument, the "skull" is a liar, Capt is a tr.ansvestite, jd is a terrorist, sussex is a child molestor..how do I know all this...cause I heard it from someone, the case with that bunny boiler was someting completely differant, it has no relavence on your average forum.

Sh** I believe you

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"