Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Robin Currie, Mary-Jean Devon and Lorna Douglas and Roderick McCuish

There were no declarations of interest.

Report by Head of Legal and Regulatory Support

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made. 

The Council’s Solicitor advised of additional information that had been received from the Objectors outwith the time period allowed by the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 for making objections or representations and advised that it was for the Committee to determine whether or not to accept this late submission.

The Chair invited the Objectors to explain why this further information was submitted late.

Mrs McCandlish explained that they had not been aware of this information they wished to put before the Committee until 20 August 2019 which was after the time when objections had to be submitted.  She advised that they thought that the information they wished to submit was serious enough due to what it represented and asked if it would be possible for the Committee to accept it.

The Chair asked the Applicant to advise whether or not he thought the Committee should accept this late information.

Mr McNeill confirmed that he thought it would be best if the Committee made that decision as he did not know what the information was about.

The Chair then sought the views of the Members.

Councillor Freeman advised that as the Applicant had not seen this additional information he thought it would be unfair to present it now.

Councillor Kinniburgh advised that if the Committee were minded to accept the additional information he would seek a view from the Applicant as to whether or not he would wish an adjournment to allow the Committee to read the paperwork.

Councillor Trail said that he thought the Committee should read the additional paperwork and then decide on the merits of it.

Councillor Moffat advised that as the Applicant was not objecting to the paperwork being considered then she saw no reason for the Committee not to.

The Committee agreed to accept the late submission from the Objectors and this was circulated to the Committee and the Applicant.

Councillor Moffat sought an adjournment of the Committee to another day in view of the amount of paperwork that was tabled.

It was established from the Applicant that he was happy for the Committee to proceed with the hearing today.

Councillor Kinniburgh sought and received confirmation from Mr McMillan that it was hoped to bring a report to the Committee in October on the findings of the recent Taxi and Private Hire Survey.

Decision

The Committee agreed to continue consideration of this application until next month to allow Members to digest the additional information before them and to also consider the findings of the survey.

(Reference: Report by Head of Legal and Regulatory Support, submitted)