Taxi Driver Online

Hi all

Has anyone heard anything about the SECRET Council meeting scheduled for yesterday (Tues 10th May) where the Licensing Committee were to decide applications for Hackney Proprietors Licenses DESPITE deciding to remain limited until after a survey???

The meeting was only stopped due to a local taxi drivers committee member who brought an injunction against the council. 7 applications were due to be heard yesterday with up to a further 24 scheduled for the near future.

The BANES website - which usually publishes details of the applicants for these licenses - was mysteriously 'unable' to put up the details as the document was 'not suitable for electronic transmission'.

How is it possible that they are not sticking to a decision they made just over a month ago? Have you guys heard of anyone else pulling a stunt like this??

There was a licensing meeting that took place yesterday, is that what you are referring to? The meeting was sceduled in the usual way, there was nothing underhand about it.

Regards

JD

I think it's possible because no matter what a council decides, they still have to abide by the law of the land.

If a driver, or a number of drivers apply, then the council has to determine those applications within a reasonable timescale. Now clearly if the council has evidence of no sig un-met demand, then those applications can be refused.

However I'm not too sure that Banes have or intend to do a survey, so really they have no good reason to refuse those application.

But I must agree with you that doing all this stuff in private is not good. If the council are ashamed of their policy, then best they get rid of it.

If they aren't ashamed of it, then they best justify it.

_________________
IDFIMH

The agenda is up on the website there was no conspiracy. They had applications for Hackney carriage proprietor's licenses the committee has to deal with them.

http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/committee_pap ... 050510.htm

Regards

JD

POSTED TWICE IN ERROR - SORRY!

Thanks for the link JD. I am not implying that it was not made public there was a meeting to be held. My point is, unlike the last licensing hearing, you will note this one specifically states the public is to be excluded.

Also at the bottom of the page there is a link regarding the hackney applications. Again, in the previous hearing, this link took you to a list of drivers - by name and vehicle description - who were applying for the plates.

I just wonder at the change of policy?

I guess these applications could have been put in motion after the last lot were successful and, as you rightly said, need to be considered.

BUT......if its all above board then why is info being withheld and why was an injunction able to stop it?

Also I am a little confused by being told Bath did not say they were going to survey.....

"6. *Bath and North East Somerset. Voted on 6/4/05 to retain its numbers policy and survey at a future date TBA."


I understood this to mean no further plates would be issued until the survey took place? Or am I being naive?

Those are the exact minutes of the meeting. The applications you refer to will be for the few outstanding plates on offer. You have to realise that a council can reconsider its policy any time it likes, however, I would have thought those representing the Taxi trade in Bath would be one of the first to know, if the council ever decided to go down that road.

Regards

JD