Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) setting out the progress of the NVQ and VRQ training programme introduced in 2008 and seeking to review the current policy that all new applicants must achieve the qualification within 12 months of being granted a licence and existing licence holders by December 2011.

(Report attached)

PLEASE NOTE: The following appendices to the report will be available at the meeting as background information to the consultation

Appendix 4a); Appendix 4b) and Appendix 4f)

The Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) submitted a report setting out the progress of the mandatory NVQ and VRQ qualification for all existing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers and new applicants entering the trades since they were introduced by the former Licensing and Regulatory Panel in September 2008.

At that time, the former Panel set a target date of December 2011 for all existing drivers to have achieved the mandatory qualifications and new drivers were given 12 months from entering the trade to achieve the qualifications. Members were requested to consider those deadlines in the face of limited Government funding and having regard to the statistical analysis of the uptake and success of the scheme.

LCC Taxi & Private Hire Licensing Section (TPHL) had undertaken public consultation regarding the qualifications and whether they were perceived as remaining necessary in terms of providing a safe and quality service. The report included copies of the consultation and information documents available during the consultation process along with copies of responses received to the consultation from drivers and interested parties. Copies of the Quarterly Licensing Newsletter sent to all licence holders which highlighted the changes to the funding and the consultation were also included.

The report set out the detail of the training modules available and training providers, and Committee had also received additional information on future training modules.

The Committee considered the options available as set out in paragraph 3:2 of the report, and discussed the background to the implementation of the qualifications. The Committee was reassured by the evidence of the widespread consultation undertaken by TPHL and the Licensing Newsletter issued to all licence holders was considered to be a highly effective method for advising and informing drivers.

The Committee noted the following matters:

-  The qualifications had been implemented due to the number of complaints regarding drivers’ skill and professionalism received from the public and Councillors in Leeds.

-  The government drive nationally to improve the standards of passenger carrying trades

-  The fact that the time limited nature of the funding had been highlighted to drivers, but some still had not undertaken the course

-  Some local providers were still able to source funding for the training

-  The mix of comments received from the trade and public in response to the consultation

-  The view that more experienced drivers should be exempted from the requirements of the VRQ, but noted the response that many trades required experienced operatives to undertake continual assessment

The Committee heard from Ms K Deane of Go Skills with regard to future funding of the scheme and the funding support likely to be available for drivers.

The Committee raised the following issues

-  whether there was evidence that the number of complaints had decreased since the VRQ/NVQ scheme was implemented

-  whether there had been an impact on the overall number of drivers from minority ethnic backgrounds

-  40% of drivers had not signed up the scheme. The Committee queried whether there was anything further to be done to attract them to the scheme, or if not, what measures were in place to enforce the mandatory scheme

-  the wealth of the material before them and commented this would have been  better presented as a list of comments received, rather than each individual letter of representation. Officers responded that the presentation of information in response to consultations was being reviewed given the personal information often contained therein

-  whether LCC could provide the training modules in-house for drivers. Officers responded that there was a need to remain impartial from the process plus more time was required to fully consider the impact on LCC staffing and resources

-  whether LCC could procure training providers to deliver locally and reduce the cost

-  the possibility of no enforcement having taken place between September 2008 and September 2009 for new applicants.

The Committee welcomed the figures showing 3870 drivers had signed up for the qualifications with 3043 now certificated; and commended those drivers for their effort and those operators who had supported their drivers undertaking the scheme. The Committee also thanked the officers of TPHL Section for their work during the consultation, particularly Mrs K Coldwell, Service Development Officer. Members reiterated the importance of public safety and the benefits to the drivers personally of obtaining a nationally recognised accreditation

RESOLVED – That, due to additional issues raised by the Committee, determination of this matter be deferred until the next meeting. The Committee requested a further report be presented in due course to include responses to Members comments, including:

-  cost of in-house procurement of the training modules and the cost of exemptions of experienced drivers from the scheme

-  the impact of the above on the licence fees given the ring fencing of the TPHL budget

-  statistical information on complaints received since the implementation of the scheme

-  appropriate measures which could be implemented to ensure 100% take-up of the scheme

-  whether LCC could procure training providers to deliver locally and reduce the cost

The Committee also requested that an explanation of the possibility of no enforcement having taken place between September 2008 and September 2009 for new applicants be provided directly to Committee Members.