Agenda item

Selby Taxi Licensing Policy 2019

To receive the report, which asks the Committee to provide representations to be referred to the Executive at the meeting on the 9 January 2020 regarding  the proposed Selby Taxi Licensing Policy 2019.

 

Minutes:

The Licensing Manager presented the report, which asked the Committee to provide representations to be referred to the Executive at the meeting to take place on 9 January 2020, regarding the proposed Taxi Licensing Policy 2019 as attached at appendix A.

 

Members heard that, if approved, the Taxi Licensing Policy 2019 would update wheelchair accessibility standards to comply with the Equalities Act legislation. The effect of this would be that those wheelchair accessible vehicles currently licensed as Hackney Carriage vehicles (HC) would no longer meet the requirements to be officially recognised as “Wheelchair Accessible” in the 2019 Taxi Licensing Policy, and would instead become and be treated as non-wheelchair accessible HC Vehicles.

 

The Licensing Manager confirmed if the new policy was adopted, upon renewal of the Hackney Carriage vehicle the proprietors would need to provide a VOSA certificate of conformance. This would confirm that the converted wheelchair accessible vehicle had been converted to European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA).  It was further confirmed that if the certificate was not provided then the condition on the vehicle licence which confirmed that the vehicle was used as a wheelchair accessible vehicle would be removed, and the vehicle would become “Non Wheelchair Accessible”.

 

Members noted that following the implementation of the 2019 Taxi Licensing Policy, the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles would gradually be built up over time and in accordance with the new standards of wheelchair accessible, which would comply with the Equalities Act legislation.

 

Discussion took place regarding the recent decision to revoke the licence of a Selby licensed Private Hire and Hackney driver through the urgency procedure in the Council’s Constitution, Members were in agreement that in such cases the decision should be delegated to the Head of Legal in consultation with the Chair of Licensing Committee.

 

Members raised concerns regarding the Hackney Carriage fleet which would

require all new vehicles to the fleet to be “Wheelchair Accessible” vehicles once the new Taxi Licensing Policy was implemented; the Licensing Manager confirmed that should a driver apply for a saloon type vehicle the matter would be brought before the Licensing Committee as it would be a departure from the Policy.       

 

The Committee agreed to endorse the new Taxi Licensing Policy 2019, but made the following recommendations:-

 

·         That the number of wheelchair accessible Hackney Carriage vehicles be reported annually to the Licensing Committee,

 

·         In the event that the wheelchair accessible vehicle and non- wheelchair accessible vehicle split approached 70/30 the Executive considered reviewing that part of the policy; and

 

·         That at page 26 of the policy, in relation to immediate revocation, the Committee suggested that it stated the Head of Legal in consultation with the Chair of Licensing Committee took such a decision.

 

RESOLVED:

To provide representations as detailed above regarding the proposed changes to the Selby Taxi Licensing Policy 2019 as shown at appendix A, to the Executive at the meeting to be held on 9 January 2020. 

 

Reason for decision:

The proposed changes to Selby’s Taxi Licensing Policy 2019 would strengthen the current policy by endorsing the requirement that public safety was paramount, and bring it in line with current guidance and best practice, in particular in relation to safeguarding and equalities.

 

Supporting documents: