Agenda item

To consider the report of the Head of Licensing and Registration responding to issues raised in a petition received from Hackney Carriage Proprietors and Drivers

(Report attached)

The Head of Licensing and Registration submitted a report responding to issues raised in a petition submitted by the Alpha Hire and Hackney Welfare Society on behalf of Hackney Carriage Proprietors and Drivers.

The petition sought Members’ consideration of three issues: -

1)  A request to increase of the current vehicle age criteria to 12 years;

2)  A request to review of Policy for the Transfer of a Hackney Carriage Proprietor’s Licence on the Death of the Proprietor; and

3)  A request to introduce a new Hackney Carriage Tariff for 5, 6 and 7 seated vehicles

A copy of the covering letter from Alpha Hire and Hackney Welfare Society was included at Appendix A of the report. A copy of the petition containing 134 signatures was available on request and at the meeting

The Committee discussed the following:

Age criteria – Members noted their decision of January 2013 to retain the current age criteria as 7 years, but to request that a vehicle profile of the entire fleet be undertaken in order to inform further consideration of the age criteria in 2016. Members noted that the age criteria was a guide and that vehicles, if properly maintained, could continue as licensed vehicles after 7 years. Members considered that, in response to the request and the current economic climate, it was now appropriate to request that information on the outcome of the fleet profile review undertaken so far be presented to the HC/PH Working Group

Transfer of licence – This issue was currently being reviewed by the HC/PH WG with a report back to Committee expected in the New Year, following consultation with the trade

HC tariff – That issues such as this would usually be presented to the Hackney Carriage (HC) Forum before coming to Committee. Members noted that a HC Forum meeting was scheduled for the end of November and that those trade representatives in attendance today confirmed that this matter could be placed on the Forum agenda for discussion.

Additionally, the Committee requested officers consider how the minutes of the HC and PH Forums could be provided to the Committee in the future. The Committee, having considered the contents of the petition and the report

RESOLVED –

a)  That in respect of the vehicle age criteria, to request that information be provided to the Hackney Carriage Private Hire Working Group on the outcome of the fleet profile review undertaken so far,

b)  That in respect of the Policy for the Transfer of a Hackney Carriage Proprietor’s Licence on the Death of the Proprietor, to note that the HC PH WG was currently reviewing the relevant Policy and would report back to full Committee in the New Year

c)  That in respect of a new Hackney Carriage Tariff for 5, 6 and 7 seated vehicles, to note that this matter will now be discussed at the next meeting of the HC Forum on 27^th November 2013

d)  That officers be requested to consider a mechanism whereby the minutes of the respective Trade Forums can be provided to Members of the Licensing Committee

e)  To note that a response containing the outcome of the Committee’s consideration of the petition would be sent to Alpha Hire and Hackney Welfare Society and copied to Members for their information

(Councillor Khan withdrew from the meeting for a short while at this point)