Questions are invited from members of the public present at the meeting on any matters for which this Panel is responsible.
Approximately 30 minutes will be set aside for Public Question Time if required.
Minutes:
The Chair explained to the meeting that the public question time agenda item would be dealt with at two separate occasions during the meeting. The item would be opened at this stage of the meeting and any question relating to the common minimum licensing standards- stage 2 would be dealt with at that stage of the agenda, subject to there being sufficient time left of the 30 minutes provision remaining.
Members of the public were in attendance at the meeting and submitted the following verbal questions:-
Mr Muhammad Sajjad Warraich from the Private Hire Drivers Association in Bury had a number of questions and explained that he was not happy with the Licensing Department as drivers make telephone calls which were unanswered and emails sent receive no reply. When booking a vehicle MOT there is no choice on the date or timeslot to have the MOT and when the Licensing Service do telephone the number displayed reads private number.
The Head of Public Protection reported that there was an answerphone messaging service in operation and emails to the Licensing Service inbox would be answered. He stated that if there was a specific example of any matter not being responded to then this could be provided and the matter would be looked into. In relation to the issue of the withheld number on the caller identification, he advised that this was a standard across all Council telephone communications as they show as a private number to external numbers.
Mr Warraich suggested more staff should be employed by the Council in the Licensing Service and he stated that he was unhappy that only 3 days notice was sometime given for MOT appointments. He went on to question why there appeared to be no staff within the Licensing Service of an ethnic minority and questioned equality. Mr Warraich went on to state that at the last meeting he attended he asked about out of date CRB checks and whilst individual cases can’t be discussed almost a month since the last meeting no answer had been provided to his enquiry and he was still awaiting an appointment with the Licensing Service.
The Licensing Unit Manager responded and advised that when job vacancies arose the Council’s recruitment process was followed. He added that he had responded to the driver who was the subject of Mr Warriach’s previous query and to the private hire association but that due to data protection law that information could not be shared with Mr Warraich direct from the Council. It was agreed by the Chair that the information would be obtained regarding the driver’s details from Mr Warriach and cross referenced with that held by the Licensing Unit Manager.
Mr Shafqat Mahmood from the Private Hire Drivers Association in Bury asked a question in relation to the arrest of 2 drivers whose cases had not been pursued in court. The Chair stated that individual cases would need to be raised via the correct protocols. The Council Solicitor provided advice as to the powers delegated to officer in relation to matters of concern as to public safety.
Mr Mahmood went on to state that he was still awaiting the source of information in relation to the last meeting and dress codes for a driver wearing shorts. The Licensing Unit Manager repeated that this was an example of a complaint that had been submitted.
Mr Mahmood then raised an issue as to the clean air report and the fact it states that the pollution from congestion causes 10 to 12 deaths a year. He again asked for the source of this information. The Assistant Director of Operations Strategy reported this work had been undertaken across Greater Manchester and there were lots of reports with relevant references to provide factual information.
At this stage of the meeting, 13 minutes were left under public questions and the remaining time if required would be dealt with during item 7 of the agenda.