Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were received.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor David Allen and Stephen Oliver.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 January, 2015 were agreed as a true record.

Renegotiation of Test Station Contract

Trevor Durham confirmed that he was awaiting further legal guidance on the tendering process, following which tenders would be invited. Current advice and best practice was that test stations should not have any commercial or other connection with the taxi/private hire trade.

It was recognised that stations would need to have facilities to be able to test the range of vehicles used in the trade. It was hoped to agree contracts with more than one station, subject to them meeting minimum standards, and that the stations would be able to plate vehicles.

PubWatch Scheme

Trade representatives expressed concern that response times to calls made via the PubWatch scheme had recently been slower. Inspector Turner advised the trade to continue to use the PubWatch radios as there was cover provided in the CCTV office, but to dial 101 or 999 if there was any doubt that their call had been heard.

Trevor Durham agreed to arrange for Ann Dickens to contact Andy Bond, Town Centre Manager, in respect of issues relating to CCTV. 

Stephen Read from Stagecoach to attend.

As a representative from Stagecoach had been unable to attend the meeting due to unforeseen circumstances, it was agreed to defer this item to the next meeting.

Trevor Durham submitted a report regarding the suggestion which had been made at the previous meeting for the driver’s identity card displayed in vehicles to be larger and to include the driver’s photograph.

Licensing Officers had explored this suggestion, including consideration of the different licensing arrangements in Ireland (where such identity cards were in use). They had concluded that existing signage on licensed vehicles was sufficient to enable vehicles, and thereby the driver, to be identified. It was therefore proposed to not introduce any additional requirements in respect of identity cards at this stage, but to monitor the situation and to reconsider options in the future if there was evidence that additional requirements would be beneficial.    

Trevor Durham reported that during the past three months the Licensing Team had revoked two drivers’ licences and suspended another.

Enforcement staff had been trained in wheelchair accessibility.

A number of complaints from customers and drivers had been investigated.

24 vehicles had failed the vehicle test, with penalty points being awarded in one case.

A recent prosecution for smoking in a taxi had resulted in a fine and costs totalling £550. Two further cases were currently being progressed.

Inspector Turner reported that he had recently attended a meeting arranged by the Police and Crime Commissioner for those involved in providing public transport services, especially serving the night-time economy, with the aim of working more closely together to identify any problems and possible solutions.

He provided reported crime figures for the period 1 January, 2015 to 30 March 2015 for the Chesterfield and the Bolsover and North East Derbyshire Policing sections, totalling 21 reports, including:

18 occasions where the driver was the victim

3 occasions where a member of the public was the victim

3 occasions where the driver was an offender

2 occasions which were racially or religiously aggravated.

Timing – 13 crimes were between 0000 hours and 0600 hours.

Violence against drivers – 4

Crime breakdown:

13 – making off without payment

2 – theft

2 – assault

2 – public order offences

1 – damage to vehicle

1 – sexual assault

The outcomes from investigation of these 21 reported crimes were:

2 – charges brought

2 – restorative justice

1 – reported for summons

1 – arrested and released (insufficient evidence)

3 – investigations ongoing

2 – determined that crime did not take place

10 – undetected.

Simon Tranter reported that the relocation of the bus stop on Stephenson Place was due to be undertaken in May.

Trevor Durham agreed to liaise with Chris Brown to arrange for a trade representative to do a walkabout with Licensing and Highways officers to identify preferred locations for direction signs to taxi ranks in the town centre.

Monday 15 June, 2015 at 6.00 pm – Appointment of Representatives

Wednesday 15 July, 2015 at 6.00 pm.