Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds

Contact: John Grieve, Governance Services, Tel (0113) 37 88662 

Link: to view the meeting

Items
No. Item

43.

Appeals Against Refusal of Inspection of Documents

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded)

 

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

 

Minutes:

There were no appeals against the refusal of inspection of documents.

 

44.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

 

2  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

 

3  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

 

  RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of those parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information

 

Minutes:

There were no late items identified where it was considered necessary to exclude the press or public from the meeting due to the nature of the business to be considered.

 

45.

Late Items

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration

 

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes)

 

Minutes:

There were no late items of business identified.

46.

Declaration of Interests

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interests made at the meeting.

 

47.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence (If any)

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: H Bithell, R Downes and A Smart.

48.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 221 KB

To consider and approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 2nd November 2021.

 

 

(Copy attached)

Minutes:

RESOLVED That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 2nd November 2021, were accepted as a true and correct record.

 

49.

Matters Arising from the Minutes

To consider any matters arising from the minutes.

Minutes:

There were no issues raised under Matters Arising.

 

50.

Taxi & Private Hire Licensing - A single Licensing Policy pdf icon PDF 424 KB

To consider a report by the Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory which seeks approval to the introduction of a new Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy document.

 

 

(Report attached)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chief Officer, Elections and Regulatory submitted a report which sought approval for the introduction of a new Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy document.

 

Addressing the report the Taxi and Private Hire Manager spoke of the requirement of the Department for Transport (DfT) to produce the single Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy document as referred in the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards, published in July 2020.

 

Members were informed that Leeds City Council had previously endorsed many individual policies introduced over decades, these were now summarised into one single Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy document.

 

The Taxi and Private Hire Manager emphasised that this initial Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy introduced no new policy or regulatory content, however, it was noted that the report did provide an initial policy review timetable.

 

Members noted that Appendix A of the submitted report did include a list of the separate policies and conditions for future review of each part of the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

 

Members asked if the report before Members today had been previously discussed with the trade.

 

The Taxi and Private Hire Manager confirmed the trade were aware of the report, the agenda for today’s meeting had also been circulated to trade representatives.

 

Members requested if the document could be re-checked to ensure it was in Plain English and any “clunky wording” had been replaced/ removed.

 

Officers gave an undertaking that a further read through would be carried out.

 

Commenting on the reciprocal enforcement powers to the 4 other West Yorkshire Authorities and also York City Council, Members asked what type of inspection would take place on a vehicle licensed for example, in York, but stopped by enforcement officers in Leeds.

 

Members were informed that officers would be authorised to speak with the driver of the vehicle, check the driver had a badge and to also check the vehicle was safe. The driver/ vehicle was not required to meet the Leeds standards.

 

Commenting on the wording within the “Vehicle Age Criteria”, it was suggested that some of the wording was confusing e.g. extended inspection at 7 or 8 years, Members were of the view that it should either be one or the other.

 

In responding the Taxi and Private Hire Manager said the wording was taken from the original document but, would be looked at again.

 

Members pointed out that there was a number of references to European Standards throughout the document and queried if this was accurate given the UK was no longer a member of the European Union.

 

Members were informed that no further guidance had been received following the UK’s exit from the European Union, the wording would remain until informed otherwise.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(i)  To endorse the proposed Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy, noting this single document comprised of a summary of the existing policies, conditions, and byelaws. (The full and previously agreed text could be found in the policies and conditions referred to in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

51.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 260 KB

To consider and approve the Licensing Committee Work Programme.

 

 

(Copy attached)

Minutes:

Members considered the ongoing Licensing Committee Work Programme for 2021/22.

 

RESOLVED – That the Licensing Committee Work Programme for 2021/22 be approved.

 

52.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

To note that the next meeting will take place on Tuesday, 25th January 2022 at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

Minutes:

RESOLVED - To note that the next meeting will take place on Tuesday, 25th January 2022 at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds.