Taxi Driver Online

Purpose of report
To assist the Committee in making decisions on two applications for new taxi licences.
Main report
An application for the grant of new taxi licence was made by Mrs Turnbull on 23 June 2011. Mr Mackie has lodged a late letter of objection against Mrs Turnbull’s application. Mr Mackie also applied for a new taxi licence on 1 July.
It is recommended that the Committee consider the applications in the order that they were made, ie Mrs Turnbull’s first and Mr Mackie’s second, rather than in the order set out on the agenda.
In relation to Mrs Turnbull’s application, the Committee will first have to consider whether it should consider Mr Mackie’s late letter of objection. It can only be considered of the Committee considers that there is sufficient reason for it being made late.
The Council’s policy is to limit the number of taxi licences issued, with a limit of 1,296 taxis. At the date Mrs Turnbull’s and Mr Mackie’s applications were made there were 1295 taxi licences in effect. There was therefore one taxi licence available. However, at the date of this report there are 1,316 taxi licences in effect (1,307 with vehicles) due to 21 new taxi licences having been granted the Sheriff Court on appeal. A summary is shown in Appendix 1.
Applications for new taxi licences can be refused by the Committee in terms of Section 10(3) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 if it is satisfied that there is no significant demand for taxi services which is unmet. Appendix 2 contains an assessment of demand for taxi services in the city which concludes that there is currently no significant unmet demand. It is submitted that this would entitle the Committee to consider refusing the applications in terms of Section 10(3).
It is submitted that the Committee should consider the number of taxi licences in effect as at the date of their meeting, not the date the applications were made.
The Committee should consider submissions from the applicants before they reach a decision on their respective applications.
Notwithstanding its policy on taxi limitation, the Committee is required to consider each application on its own merits and could decide to grant one or both of the applications if they consider a special case has been made.
Financial Implications
None
Equalities Impact
None
Environmental Impact
None
Recommendations
(a) That the Committee hear from the applicants and decides whether or not to grant the applications and
(b) if it is decided to grant any application, to make it subject to standard taxi licence conditions and to the following additional condition - “the licence will not take effect until such time as a vehicle is presented which the Council considers to be suitable in type, size and design for use as a taxi and safe for such use and evidence is provided that a policy of insurance is in place as complies with Part VI of the Road Traffic Act 1972”.

Purpose of report
To assist the Committee in making decisions on two applications for new taxi licences.
Main report
An application for the grant of new taxi licence was made by Mrs Turnbull on 23 June 2011. Mr Mackie has lodged a late letter of objection against Mrs Turnbull’s application. Mr Mackie also applied for a new taxi licence on 1 July.
It is recommended that the Committee consider the applications in the order that they were made, ie Mrs Turnbull’s first and Mr Mackie’s second, rather than in the order set out on the agenda.
In relation to Mrs Turnbull’s application, the Committee will first have to consider whether it should consider Mr Mackie’s late letter of objection. It can only be considered of the Committee considers that there is sufficient reason for it being made late.
The Council’s policy is to limit the number of taxi licences issued, with a limit of 1,296 taxis. At the date Mrs Turnbull’s and Mr Mackie’s applications were made there were 1295 taxi licences in effect. There was therefore one taxi licence available. However, at the date of this report there are 1,316 taxi licences in effect (1,307 with vehicles) due to 21 new taxi licences having been granted the Sheriff Court on appeal. A summary is shown in Appendix 1.
Applications for new taxi licences can be refused by the Committee in terms of Section 10(3) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 if it is satisfied that there is no significant demand for taxi services which is unmet. Appendix 2 contains an assessment of demand for taxi services in the city which concludes that there is currently no significant unmet demand. It is submitted that this would entitle the Committee to consider refusing the applications in terms of Section 10(3).
It is submitted that the Committee should consider the number of taxi licences in effect as at the date of their meeting, not the date the applications were made.
The Committee should consider submissions from the applicants before they reach a decision on their respective applications.
Notwithstanding its policy on taxi limitation, the Committee is required to consider each application on its own merits and could decide to grant one or both of the applications if they consider a special case has been made.
Financial Implications
None
Equalities Impact
None
Environmental Impact
None
Recommendations
(a) That the Committee hear from the applicants and decides whether or not to grant the applications and
(b) if it is decided to grant any application, to make it subject to standard taxi licence conditions and to the following additional condition - “the licence will not take effect until such time as a vehicle is presented which the Council considers to be suitable in type, size and design for use as a taxi and safe for such use and evidence is provided that a policy of insurance is in place as complies with Part VI of the Road Traffic Act 1972”.

this was all accompanied by a cobbled together report by peter lang,who is not qualified to interprate the raw data,thiese observations took place almost ayear ago,and further raw spreadsheet data direct from count on us a traffic data counting company.

i know the interim survey data is an aside to the real issue but f*ck me is this really what constitutes a survey in edinburgh.

i cant help wondering how much this costs,and if this is coming from the taxi licensing budget,then i intend to find out.
if they restrict licenses then surely that is a self imposed burden,and as such they should not be able to levy the charge onto applicants through license fee's
using your own money gathered through licencing fee's to deny an applicant a licence before even going before a committee
its farcical,
and now we know why mr mackie objected to my wifes app.pathetic or what

any way up tomorrow and then to appeal by the looks of it as predicted

It looks like they are trying to drag you down the special circumstance's route, instead of applying their minds to the unmet demand at the time of your application.

Who is this clown Mackie?

they can do what they like when i applied i knew where it would be decided,thats why i applied
what makes you think there trying to make this look like special circumstance Gary