-
Agenda item
Taxi Licensing Update
(Council Decision)
Minutes:
Mr Graham Wallace presented a petition on behalf of the Hastings and St Leonards Licensed Taxicab Association. The petition, which had received 10 subscribers, opposed the delimitation of Hackney numbers and called on the council to retain the present system in relation to taxi licenses and carry out an independent unmet demand survey.
The Assistant Director for Environment and Place commented that the concerns raised by the petition, and in an earlier consultation response from the Hastings and St Leonards Licensed Taxicab Association, usually applied when full delimitation had been introduced. He presented a report which considered a new policy for carefully controlled delimitation, through an updated quality standard for all newly licensed hackney carriages.
Hastings Borough Council currently operated a policy which limited the number of licensed hackney carriages to 48, this can continue provided the council can demonstrate that there is no unmet demand for hackney services in the borough. The Law Commission recently completed a review of hackney carriage and private hire licensing; the review had resulted in the retention of discretionary power for local authorities to limit the number of hackney carriages. However, an increasing number of local authorities had now opted to delimit the number of hackney carriages.
In autumn 2015, the council had consulted on a proposal to delimit the number of hackney carriages, to consider whether this would be in the best interests of the travelling public. The review had also examined examples of good practice from other authorities together with government policy and advice.
The report recommended that the council consider delimiting the number of hackney carriages, whilst introducing appropriate quality control measures for new license holders and granting grandfather rights for the existing 48 plate holders. The council’s Environment and Safety Committee would also monitor the impact of delimitation, and may commission an unmet demand survey if there is a higher than anticipated growth in the number of newly licensed hackney carriages.
Councillor Davies proposed approval of the recommendations to the Assistant Director for Environment and Place’s report, which was seconded by Councillor Cartwright.
RESOLVED (unanimously) that:
1) Cabinet endorses the proposal to delimit hackney carriages in conjunction with the introduction of a new quality standard for all newly licenses vehicles, and grandfather rights for existing plate holders;
2) Cabinet instructs the council’s Licensing Manager to establish and chair a working group including the trade and other interested parties. The group will develop the new quality standards and report them to the council’s Environment and Safety Board for consideration and approval, and examine the potential for additional hackney carriage ranks in the borough;
3) The council’s Environment and Safety Board will review the effects of the new policy and the quality standard for new licenses 6 months after it has been fully implemented (and periodically thereafter), and if necessary make recommendations for change to Cabinet, and;
4) Cabinet recommends this updated policy to Full Council
The reason for this decision was:
Delimiting in conjunction with the introduction of updated quality standards for all new licensed hackney carriages, will reduce the likelihood of a large and unsustainable increase in the number of hackney carriages.
The provision of grandfather rights for existing plate holders will protect their interests.
Over time the new quality standards will result in an improved service for the travelling public, through the introduction of newer more accessible vehicles. There will also be environmental benefits as the emissions standards will be higher.
Supporting documents:
- Taxi Licensing Update, item 44. PDF 138 KB
- Appendix A - Hastings and St Leonaards Taxi Association response to the consultation, item 44. PDF 346 KB
-
My council
Contact
Contact us if you have a question about democratic services.
Content
The content on this page is the responsibility of our Democratic Services team.