Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were received.

Apologies for absence were received from Ann Dickens, Mandy Shaw and Ian Waller.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 23 October, 2019 were agreed as a true record.

Further to Minute No. 14, it was confirmed that the report from the Hackney Carriage Unmet Demand Survey had been considered by the Appeals and Regulatory Committee and that it had been resolved to retain the existing limit on the number of licensed hackney carriages at 110.

Inspector McInulty summarised the taxi-related reported crime figures for the period October - December, 2019 for the Chesterfield and the Bolsover and North East Derbyshire Policing sections, totalling 39 reports, which included 20 reports of making off without payment and 4 assaults. He confirmed that the Police were able to offer evening appointments to drivers when following up reported crimes.

He explained that arrangements for taxis picking up at the Stephenson Place / Holywell Street junction were working satisfactorily and it was noted that the street lighting was being improved in that area.

Simon Tranter reported that three objections had been received from the trade in response to the traffic regulation order for Elder Way and Knifesmithgate. These related to the direction of taxis waiting on the proposed rank, although it was recognised that safety would need to be the prime consideration and that signs could be provided to direct drivers and public to the front of the rank. There had also been an objection relating to the restrictions on the loading bays, which was being considered in consultation with local businesses.

The Highways Authority would make a final decision on the taxi rank arrangements, taking account of the objections received, in order for this to be implemented as part of the public realm works in that area.

Trevor Durham reported that during the past three months three drivers’ licences had been revoked and one driver who had previously been revoked had had their application to return refused.

26 vehicles had failed the six-monthly vehicle test, although it had not been necessary to issue penalty points in respect of any of these cases, with warning letters being issued in four cases.

Further amendments to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy were being considered in respect of:

·        Bringing hackney proprietors into the licensing regime in accordance with the Institute of Licensing guidance;

·        Re-classifying a non-stop road accident as a major motoring offence;

·        Harmonising the various references within the policy to when the Council must be notified of convictions or being subject to an investigation.

It was agreed to schedule meetings of the Committee in 2020/21 for the following dates, commencing at 5.00 pm:

Wednesday, 8 July, 2020

Wednesday, 21 October, 2020

Wednesday, 20 January, 2021

Wednesday, 21 April, 2021.

Concern was expressed at the recent poor attendance of trade representatives at meetings of the Committee, and it was agreed that trade representatives be contacted to seek their views on the future viability of the Committee, to enable this to be considered at the next meeting on 22 April, 2020.