Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 10 August 2023.

The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 10 August 2023 as a correct record.

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

There were no items of Chair’s urgent business.

The Committee will be provided with the results of the judgement on appeal cases that went to Court.

There were no appeal cases to report.

The Committee will be provided with the Number of Certificates of Good Conduct Exemptions Granted.

There were no Certificates of Good Conduct Exemptions to report.

Graham Hooper (Senior Officer in Intelligence and Licensing) introduced the report and highlighted the following points:

a)    Three objections had been received in response to the consultation and stated that the proposed uplift to the tariff was unwarranted and that this would penalise regular customers driving some of these customers away from using taxis;

                      i.        Officers considered this point of view throughout the first report and acknowledged that if taxi fares are set too high, then members of the public are less likely to use them. However, when weighing up all the factors discussed in the first report, it was the continuing view of officers that the proposed small uplift will not penalise the travelling public but would assist those taxi drivers licensed through the Council to face the significant cost of living rises and support Plymouth’s taxi trade to make a viable living;

b)    Two objections raised related to the timings of the individual tariff structures. The comments centred around the view that tariff 1 should commence at 7am and not 6am to allow for the Evening and Nighttime Economy trade and tariff 3 should run all day on Christmas Eve and all day on New Year’s Day;

                      i.        Historically tariff 1(the day rate) had not started until 6am and finished at 7pm so that those workers i.e., shop workers, care workers, hospital workers etc. were not penalised by the tariff 2 rate (nighttime rate);

                     ii.        In addition, Christmas Eve was not a UK public/bank holiday and considered a normal day. Tariff 3 (double time) started at 7pm on Christmas Eve where most workers listed above had finished for the day;

                    iii.        Members may have wished to consider the fact that there were no regular bus services run on New Year’s Day and taxis would for many be the only source of transport. However, tariff 3 (double rate) ran on New Year’s Eve from 7pm and finished at 6am when, as New Year’s Day was a bank/public holiday, it then ran on tariff 2 (Sunday/bank holiday rate) until 6am the following day;

                    iv.        It was therefore officers continuing view that to avoid unnecessary financial burden on those workers travelling to and from work by taxi that the timings of the tariff structure remain as was current and as advertised.

In response to a question it was explained:

c)    A review of additional charges for passengers travelling from the train station had not been reviewed, but could be considered by officers in a future review.

The Committee agreed to:

1.    Approve the tariff as advertised and consulted on as shown in Appendix 2 of the agenda pack;

2.    Approved the date for the new tariff to come into force as 16 October 2023.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972 to exclude the press and the public from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in paragraph 1/2/3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The Committee agreed to pass a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and the public from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in paragraph 1/2/3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

To confirm the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 10 August 2023.

The Committee agreed the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 10 August 2023 as a correct record.

For (5)

Councillors Finn, Moore, Tippetts Tofan, Tuffin.

Against (0)

Abstain (1)

Councillor Rennie.

Absent/Did Not Vote (0)

The Committee having:

a)    considered the report from the Director of Public Health;

b)    heard from the applicant and heard the responses to questions raised;

c)    taken the following into account:

a.     the law, policy and factual information contained in the report;

b.    all that was said by the applicant;

c.     asked itself whether it would want a person they cared for or a vulnerable person to be driven in a vehicle driven by the applicant.

The Committee agreed to:

1.    Take no action in relation the vehicle driving licence;

2.    Suspend the Hackney Carriage drivers licence for 10 days.

(Please note that there is a confidential part to this minute).

(Please note that this minute is confidential).