A councillor who resigned during the 'Taxi Gate' scandal in Milton Keynes, in which a convicted rapist was given a taxi drivers licence, is set to receive an honour from fellow councillors at a meeting tomorrow.
Cllr Gladstone McKenzie is set to receive the 'Honorary Aldermen' award tomorrow night, 'in recognition of the eminent service rendered to the Council'.
The award is designed to recognise councillors in the UK as a reward for their services as a councillor, and requires two thirds of councillors to back the award.
But Mr McKenzie resigned from his committee vice chairman post in 2014 following the Taxi Gate scandal in Milton Keynes.
The resignation came after it emerged that the licensing committee he was on the panel of oversaw a convicted rapist getting a licence to drive taxis in Milton Keynes.
At the time, McKenzie said in his resignation letter, which was obtained by the Milton Keynes Citizen: "I believe that I made a serious error of judgement on making a decision for a taxi license to be retained by an individual who had committed a series of serious offences."
“I was part of a committee that reached that conclusion and accept responsibility for my part in that decision. I therefore feel I can no longer serve on that committee.”
In 1994, taxi driver Nadeem Ahmed Kiani was sentenced to eight years in prison for two buggery offences, rape and assault with intent to commit buggery and rape.
He was later given a licence to drive taxis in Milton Keynes at two points. The first was in 2011 but this was then suspended in April 2012.
The BBC reported that Kiani's licence was suspended after Thames Valley Police raised concerns and listed further details of his convictions.
But the licensing committee lifted that suspension allowing Kiani to continue as a private hire driver. Kiani also received a licence to drive hackney carriages in Milton Keynes in March 2014.
Following the scandal, the Mayor Subhan Shafiq along with chairman of the licensing committee Stuart Burke and Gladstone McKenzie, who was deputy chairman of the committee, all stepped down from their role
The meeting and vote on whether to honour McKenzie with the Honorary Alderman award is set to take place tomorrow night in the Milton Keynes Council chamber.
Cllr Peter Marland, Leader of Milton Keynes Council, has not responded to a request for comment earlier today.
Milton Keynes Conservatives have said their councillors will be voting for Mr McKenzie to receive the award, along with another councillor who is nominated.
Cllr Alex Walker, Leader of the MK Conservatives, said: "I believe both have dedicated a significant period of their lives to public service and it is right they receive acknowledgement of that.”
"The Council’s criterion for the title of Alderman is that former councillors with 15 years’ service are eligible for consideration by the Council. The meeting of the Special Council tomorrow night will decided on whether former Cllrs Steve Coventry and Gladstone McKenzie should receive that honour."
