Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were received.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dean Collins and Lisa Collins.

The Licensing Officer submitted a report to enable Members to consider objections received to the proposals previously agreed by the Committee to changes to Taxi Licensing in accordance with the Deregulation Act 2015.

The changes would increase the length of a taxi driver’s licence to three years and an operator’s licence to five years with effect from 1 October 2015. Following the Committee’s approval of these proposals on 22 July, 2015, there had been a period of statutory consultation, during which two objections had been received.

The objections were attached as an appendix to the report.

One objector felt that the change to an operators’ licence was not necessary and that it should have been more widely publicised.

The other objector did not feel the proposed changes to drivers’ licences were legal, particularly the ongoing charge for drivers for years two and three.

It was noted that the proposals had been discussed at the Taxi Consultative Committee on 15 July, 2015, at which operators had been represented, considered at a public meeting of the Appeals and Regulatory Committee on 22 July, 2015 and publicised as required by law in the Derbyshire Times and on the Council’s website and at the Licensing department. It was confirmed that this was the normal process used in notifying such changes. 

It was further noted that section 10 of the Deregulation Act 2015 extended the life of a taxi driver’s licence to three years, although provision was made for shorter periods in exceptional circumstances (such as a probationary licence), and that the fees schedule in the original report of 22 July, 2015 had outlined how the three-yearly fee was calculated, taking account of costs incurred in respect of years two and three. It was confirmed that the proposed operator’s licence fee comprised a core fee paid at the beginning of the five year period and a fee for the number of vehicles paid each year.

It was explained that fees were set at levels with the aim of the service being cost neutral.

* RESOLVED –

That the original Committee decision of 22 July, 2015 be upheld and the measures and fees for three yearly Hackney Carriage / Private Hire Drivers licences and five yearly Private Hire Operators licences commence as planned on 1 October, 2015.