Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: the Preston Room, Woodgate Chambers, Woodgate, Loughborough. View directions

Items
No. Item

7.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 225 KB

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

Minutes:

Cllr Harris arrived at the meeting.

 

The minutes of the meeting held on 16th February 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

8.

Disclosures of Pecuniary and Personal Interests

Minutes:

No disclosures were made.

9.

Questions Under Other Committee Procedures 12.8

No questions were submitted.

Minutes:

No questions had been submitted.

10.

REVIEW OF HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE LICENSING POLICY DUE TO TAXI STANDARDS GUIDANCE pdf icon PDF 4 MB

A report of the Head of Regulatory Services seeking the Committee’s approval of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy following consultation.

Minutes:

Considered a report of the Head of Regulatory Services seeking approval of the Hackney carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy following consultation with the public and hackney carriage/private hire trade, (item 5 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

 

Assisting with consideration of the report: Head of Regulatory Services and Licensing Manager.

 

It was noted that the Chief Executive had been contacted by the Minister for Roads Buses and Places to ensure all changes were implemented by 31st December 2021.  This policy would come into effect from 1st June 2021.

 

Summary of discussion:

 

·         the policy was mainly unchanged since the Committee had reviewed it prior to consultation, minor changes were noted in section 1.3 and 3.2 (Vehicle Proprietors) as detailed in the report.

·         no comments had been received.  Letters and emails had been sent to all Private Hire Drivers, Operators and Hackney Carriage Drivers, and information uploaded to the Council’s website.  A summary of amendments had been forwarded when the policy was drafted and a link to the Council’s website where the changes were highlighted was included with the letters and emails.  If approved by the Committee the changes to the policy would be included in the next newsletter.

·         Charnwood did not have a designated taxi service for females only; however all trade operators were required to attend and pass safeguarding courses.  If operators provided taxi services for school runs, the supply of escorts were the responsibility of Leicestershire County Council.

·         the change to review the policy on a 5 yearly basis instead of 3 yearly was in line with statutory guidance.

·         Uber taxis no longer held an operator license within Charnwood but as the company operated in the major cities around Loughborough they consequently did enter the Charnwood area.  Although not vetted to  Charnwood standards, the Government Taxi Guidance promoted the development of protocols and liaison with local and neighbouring authorities to ensure enforcement activities were aligned.   It was noted that the DfT Taxi Guidance was a national requirement.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    that the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy as attached at Annex 2 of the report be approved with effect from 1 June 2021;

 

2.    that the Head of Regulatory Services be given delegated authority to make minor amendments and alterations in respect of administration procedures and as required to comply with changes to legislation and Government guidance, to the final approved Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy in consultation with the Chair of Licensing Committee.

 

 

Reasons

 

1.    To ensure that the Council has an up to date policy that sets out the requirements and standards that must be met and guides the Council in the way that it carries out its functions.

 

2.    To ensure that minor and necessary amendments to the Policy can be   made in a timely manner.