Fife Council’s handling of Uber objections raised with Scottish ministers

EFTA has written to Kirsten Oswald, Minister for Victims and Community Safety, asking her to seek answers over Fife Council’s handling of Uber’s booking office application. Stephen Flynn, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, has been copied into the letter.

Hundreds of people objected. Around 25 were invited to address the licensing committee on 22 September, but when they arrived, Uber’s solicitor challenged the validity of the objections on signature grounds. The council accepted that argument and those invited were not allowed to present their concerns.

The application was subsequently approved.

Fife Council had held objections for 8 months. If it believed there was a problem with their signatures, there was time to tell people before inviting them to a hearing. Instead, objectors discovered the problem when it was too late to do anything about it.

There is also correspondence showing the council’s head of licensing telling an objector he was happy to accept their digital signature. How does that sit with what happened at the committee?

Our letter asks Ms Oswald to seek an explanation from the council, including what rules governed electronic submissions and whether the relevant requirements were applied consistently to Uber’s application and the public’s objections. We have also asked her to consider stronger national guidance and to meet representatives of the East Fife Taxi Association.

The council’s apology was welcome, but it did not answer those questions or give people back their opportunity to be heard.

Local businesses and residents are now raising money for legal advice and a challenge. That is money they should not have to find simply to establish whether their council administered a public process properly.

Whatever anyone thinks of Uber, people who take the trouble to participate deserve clear instructions and competent administration. Fife Council owes them a proper explanation.

We have asked the Scottish Government to help secure one.