Prior to the commencement of the meeting, the Convener intimated that this meeting would be recorded for subsequent broadcast via the Council's internet site.

Councillors Mullin, McEwan, Rodden and Steel.

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Under reference to item 1 of the Minute of the meeting of this Board held on 26 October 2022, there was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources providing an update in relation to applications for landlord registration refused under powers delegated to officers following a decision of this Board on 18 August 2021.

The report intimated that on 18 August 2021, the Board recommended that the Scheme of Delegated Functions be amended to include a delegation to officers to refuse applications for landlord registration where the requirements set out in regulations made under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 were not met and that regular reports be submitted to this Board detailing the applications refused.

The report intimated that, since the last update to Board, only one application for landlord registration (renewal) required to be refused by officers due to failure to confirm full compliance with landlords’ legal responsibilities. The report noted that there had been a sustained improvement in relation to declared compliance by applicants for landlord registration and that, given this improvement, the Board consider that updates now be provided to the Board annually.

The Convener proposed that the report be noted and that further update reports be provided annually. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the report be noted and that further update reports be provided annually.

There was submitted the undernoted application for the surrender and re-issue of a Taxi Operator’s Licence. The applicants had been asked to appear personally for the first time:-

Present Operator: Neil Doherty
Proposed Operator: Mohammad Imran Khan      
Licence. No.: TX120

Mr Doherty and Mr Khan, the applicants, both joined the meeting by video call. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that the application be granted. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be granted.

There was submitted the undernoted application for variation of a Taxi Operator’s Licence. The applicant had been asked to appear personally for the first time:-

Applicant: TOA Cabs Limited
Variation: exception to policy to allow advertising on both doors 
Licence No.: TX231                      

Ms Donnachie, on behalf of the applicant, joined the meeting by video call. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Board adjourned to allow members to consider this application. The meeting was reconvened and due to technical issues Ms Donnachie was unable to re-join the meeting. The Convener proposed that consideration of this application be continued until later in the meeting to allow Ms Donnachie to join the meeting. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That consideration of the application be continued to later in the meeting to allow Ms Donnachie to re-join the meeting.

There was submitted the undernoted application for variation of a Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence. The applicant had been asked to appear personally for the first time:-

Applicant: Gerard Milligan
Variation: exception to policy and standard condition 1
Licence No.: PH0729

There was submitted the undernoted application for renewal of a Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence. The applicant had been asked to appear personally for the first time:-

Applicant: Gerard Milligan
Licence No.: PH0729

Mr Milligan, the applicant, joined the meeting by telephone call. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that (i) Mr Milligan’s application for variation of his Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence be granted and that standard condition 1 of his licence be amended to enable Mr Milligan to continue to operate his present vehicle, registration number SO16 XDD for a period of six months from 16 March 2023 as an exception to the Board’s policy on vehicle age; and that (ii) Mr Milligan’s application for grant of his Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence be granted for a period of two years. This was agreed unanimously. 

DECIDED: 

(a) That Mr Milligan’s application for variation of his Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence be granted and that standard condition 1 of his licence be amended to enable Mr Milligan to continue to operate his present vehicle, registration number SO16 XDD for a period of six months from 16 March 2023 as an exception to the Board’s policy on vehicle age; and 

(b) That Mr Milligan’s application for renewal of his Private Hire Car Operator’s Licence be granted for a period of two years.

The Board resolved that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of part I of schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

There were submitted the undernoted applications for grant of Private Hire Car Operators’ Licences. The applicants had been asked to appear personally for the first time together with Police Scotland who had submitted representations to applications (b) and (c):-

(a) Abdul Hamid Khalid

Mr Khalid, the applicant, joined the meeting by telephone call. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that the application be granted for a period of one year. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be granted for a period of one year.

(b) Saif Radwan

Mr Radwan, the applicant, joined the meeting by telephone call together with Sergeant Moore-McGrath, who joined the meeting by video call, on behalf of the Chief Constable who had submitted a representation to the application. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that the application be granted for a period of one year. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be granted for a period of one year.

(c) Wael Mohammad

Mr Mohammad, the applicant, joined the meeting by video call together with Sergeant Moore-McGrath, who also joined the meeting by video call, on behalf of the Chief Constable who had submitted a representation to the application. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that the application be granted for a period of one year. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be granted for a period of one year.

There was submitted the undernoted application for grant of a Taxi Driver’s Licence. The applicant had been asked to appear personally for the first time:-

Mirza Asif Latif

There was no appearance by or on behalf of Mr Latif. The Convener proposed that the application be considered in Mr Latif’s absence. This was agreed unanimously. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that the application be refused. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be refused.

There were submitted the undernoted applications for grant of Private Hire Car Drivers’ Licences. The applicants had been asked to appear personally for the first time together with Police Scotland who had submitted a representation to application (d):-

(a) Mohammad Bashiran Nawaz

There was no appearance by or on behalf of Mr Nawaz. The Convener proposed that the application be considered in Mr Nawaz’s absence. This was agreed unanimously. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that the application be granted for a period of one year. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be granted for a period of one year.

(b) Wajid Mahmood Yousaf Begum

There was no appearance by or on behalf of Mr Begum. The Convener proposed that consideration of the application be continued and that the applicant be invited to a future meeting of the Board. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That consideration of the application be continued and that the applicant be invited to a future meeting of the Board.

(c) Hazem A Mohammed Abdalghader     

Mr Abdalghader, the applicant, joined the meeting by video call. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that the application be granted for a period of one year. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be granted for a period of one year.

(d) Mhd Eid Albashash   

Mr Albashash, the applicant, joined the meeting by video call together with Sergeant Moore-McGrath, who also joined the meeting by video call, on behalf of the Chief Constable who had submitted a representation to the application. After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that the application be granted for a period of six months. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be granted for a period of six months.

There was submitted the undernoted application for renewal of a Private Hire Car Driver’s Licence. The applicant had been asked to appear personally for the first time together with Police Scotland who had submitted a representation received outwith the statutory timescale to the application:-

Applicant: Mehmet Dost
Licence No.: P0767

There was no appearance by or on behalf of Mr Dost. The Convener proposed that consideration of the application be continued to later in the meeting to allow the applicant time to join the meeting. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That consideration of the application be continued to later in the meeting to allow the applicant time to join the meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 12 noon and reconvened at 1.30 pm.

The Board considered the possible suspension or revocation of the undernoted Private Hire Car Driver’s Licence. The licence holder had been asked to appear personally for the first time together with Police Scotland:-

Licence holder: Sean Grana
Licence No.: P0702

The Assistant Managing Solicitor (Licensing) advised that Mr Grana, the licence holder, had intimated that he would not be joining the meeting and had also intimated that he was content that the matter be considered and determined in his absence. Sergeant Robertson joined the meeting by video call, on behalf of the Chief Constable. The Convener proposed that the matter be considered in Mr Grana’s absence. This was agreed unanimously.

 

After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that Mr Grana’s Private Hire Car Driver’s Licence be suspended for the unexpired portion of the duration of the licence with immediate effect. This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That Mr Grana’s Private Hire Car Driver’s Licence be suspended for the unexpired portion of the duration of the licence with immediate effect.