Issue - meetings

Report of Health Protection, Compliance and Licensing Manager

Purpose of report

To consider the post consultation draft Taxi Licensing Policy for hackney carriage and private hire for adoption by the Council. The draft policy is included at Appendix 1. A summary of changes from the current policy and the post-consultation changes are included at Appendix 3.

Recommendations

The General Licensing Committee resolves:

1.1           To approve the post consultation Cherwell District Council Taxi Licensing for adoption by Cherwell District Council.

(1)        That the post consultation Cherwell District Council Taxi Licensing Policy be approved for adoption by Cherwell District Council.

The Health Protection, Compliance and Licensing Manager submitted a report to seek approval from the General Licensing Committee for the New Cherwell District Council Taxi Licensing Policy.

In introducing the report, the Health Protection, Compliance and Licensing Manager outlined the changes that has been made to the policy following the outcome of the initial consultation.

In introducing the report, the Health Protection, Compliance and Licensing Manager explained that the new draft policy introduced changes which were designed to bring the Council’s policy more in-line with the current Department of Transport guidance, improve safety, inclusion, compliance and enhance incentives for cleaner vehicles.A consultation had taken place in the summer and all feedback considered which resulted in several changes to the draft policy.

In response to questions regarding wheelchair accessible vehicles, the Committee was advised that there were currently fifty wheelchair accessible vehicles registered and the Council was trying to increase this number by offering incentives such as longer vehicle age limits.

In the course of the discussion, Committee members queried the status of vehicles operating in the Cherwell area that were licensed by other local authorities which would have different policies and standards. The Health Protection, Compliance and Licensing Manager explained that legislation did not prevent this and it was not just an issue in the Cherwell district. The Committee requested that, if possible, their concerns were relayed to the relevant Central Government departments.

In response to concerns raised by the Committee relating to the increase in the age limit for vehicles, it was explained that Department of Transport best practice recommended removing vehicle age limits altogether which meant the Council’s policy was stricter than national guidance.

Following a question regarding the potential use of video capture or CCTV systems in vehicles, the Committee was advised that this was not a requirement of the new policy as it was difficult to implement the sealed systems that were compliant with legislation to prevent tampering of evidence. The Committee was assured that the current vetting system of drivers was extremely robust. 

In response to a question regarding the fee to process taxi licences across different councils, the Health Protection, Compliance and Licensing Manager explained that Cherwell’s fees were based on cost recovery and were similar to other councils in Oxfordshire. Whilst some local authorities did charge less, it was not possible to comment on the rationale applied by these authorities.

Following questions surrounding the process of revoking licences, the Health Protection, Compliance and Licensing Manager clarified the process and advised that details of revoked licences was shared with other authorities via a national database to ensure a driver could not obtain a licence in another local authority area. The council’s internal points system was being tightened so that points remained on the driver’s record for three years rather than the current one year period.

Resolved

(1)        That the post consultation Cherwell District Council Taxi Licensing Policy be approved for adoption by Cherwell District Council.