Report by Public Protection Manager (attached)

The Committee considered a report by the Public Protection Manager (circulated previously) regarding the adoption of a revision to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

The Public Protection Manager highlighted the following:

·       Consultation had been undertaken with the trade which had been appended to the report.

·       Consideration of the consultation responses and refinement of the proposed amendments had been presented to the Licensing and Community Safety Committee at its meeting on 18 January 2022.

·       The revised Policy brought the policy in line with the Department for Transport Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards and would require drivers to sign up to the Disclosure and Barring Service and undertake safeguarding trading.

·       Further changes to the policy would be considered by the Licensing and Community Safety Committee at its meeting in March 2022 and presented to the subsequent Strategy and Resources Committee.

RESOLVED that:

(a)  the proposed draft North Devon Council Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy found within Appendix A, as per the recommendation of Licensing and Community Safety Committee on the 18 January 2021 be approved;

(b)  a nominal fee of £10 for taxi and private hire driver safeguarding training be approved, if there was a need for the Council, to book such training on behalf of a driver and that this fee was proposed in order that the Council may recover its costs appropriately.

Report by Public Protection Manager (attached)

The Committee considered a report on the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy – The Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards (circulated previously) by the Public Protection Manager.

The Chair welcomed Lee Staples to the meeting who introduced himself.

Mr Staples had previously been the principal Licensing Officer at Exeter City Council.  He was currently contracted to North Devon Council working on the review of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy.

The Public Protection Manager updated the Committee on the progression of streamlining the application process.  As a result of a request for the process to be made simpler brought to the Committee by a local taxi firm owner as discussed at the 14 December 2021 meeting.  The Public Protection Manager advised that the investigation into the possible streamlining of the application process was still ongoing and a report would be presented to Committee at a future date to be determined.

Mr Staples then presented highlights of the changes being presented to the Committee as follows:

·         At its meeting of 13 October 2021 the Committee learnt of the Department for Transport’s Statutory standards as well as the significant changes that were needed to bring North Devon Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy in line with the Department for Transport’s Statutory requirements

·         As agreed at the meeting of 13 October 2021 a consultation was carried out seeking comments from local stakeholders and members of the public

·         The feedback received could be viewed as part of the agenda pack at Appendix C

·         Appendix D presented the changes being proposed and the following changes were highlighted to Committee as follows:

a)    A review to be carried out on an existing Licence Holder if further relevant information came to light by way of a complaint or referral of information from the Police.  Regarding a serious offence committed, this would remain a consideration for refusal of a licence regardless of the time elapsed since sentencing

b)    The Disclosure and Barring update Service (DBS).  Whilst it was noted that a financial constraint would be placed on the Driver as a result of this being made mandatory.  The real time updates on offences committed being notified to the Council would benefit the safety of the local community.  It was planned to impose this mandatory requirement in a phased approach.  This mandatory subscription to the DBS update service, would apply to all new applicants from 1 April 2022 and existing licence holders on renewal

c)    Displaying how a customer could make a complaint was to be mandatory.  Stickers would be displayed in a taxi giving customers the information needed to make a complaint

d)    The Lead Licensing Officer had carried out a review of the convictions policy and this could be found in Appendix H of the proposed policy attached to the agenda at Appendix A.  The proposal being put forward was that the highest available minimum period of elapsed time since the last conviction would be imposed

e)    From 1 March 2022 it was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30