Agenda item

Members received a report that provided an update with regard to the activities of the Licensing Committee and Licensing Sub Committees throughout the last Municipal Year. It was noted that there had been 2 Committees and 13 Sub Committees whereby a panel had met to determine applications or notices under the Licensing Act 2003. A summary was provided as an appendix to the report in relation to other statistical information relating to all other licensing applications and any enforcement actions.

The Committee were informed that one of the big issues they may be looking at in the coming year would be the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. At the current time, this policy remained the same but it was reported that consultation had recently been undertaken by the Department for Transport with regard to amending the Statutory Guidance on the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy. Any proposed changes would be brought to the Committee for discussion in order to establish what would be included with the Council’s Policy moving forwards.

Members were invited to comment on the report and put forward any queries with regard to the information provided.

Concerns were voiced with regard to the Taxi Policy, as Members felt that currently, they did not have enough control over decisions made in relation to this, nor were they provided with enough information. This was felt to be of particular concern in relation to the thousands of historic cases of Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham revealed in recent years. However, Members were reminded that the Licensing Committee actually had delegated powers to be able to amend the policy, in which case, when it came before them in the future, they could make any amendments they saw fit. Additionally, draft statutory guidance that had been produced by the Department of Transport had suggested that in future, all taxi panels may be brought back to the Committee for determination.

A number of other concerns were voiced in relation to taxi licensing, including the issue of out of town licensed drivers working in Doncaster and the policing of that, the lack of cars suitable for those with assistance dogs or disabilities, the possibilities of using audio / CCTV recording in cars and the problems that could relate to this, and also, the possibility of capping the age limit of a vehicle licensed. In relation to these concerns, officers responded to the Members and were assured that all licensed hackney carriages in Doncaster were wheelchair accessible vehicles. Additionally, regarding a Members concern regarding out of town licensed drivers working for Doncaster Private Hire Operators in Doncaster, the Committee were reassured that this figure was currently zero. Finally, in relation the question regarding capping the age of a licensed vehicle, Members were informed that this was not something currently being considered.

Members had a lot of discussion on the issues, as there was a consensus that the Licensing Committee were not kept abreast of all the changes regarding taxi licensing. However, the Licensing Officer assured Members that once the statutory guidance had been published, it would be brought to the Committee for consideration, whereby they, as a collective would be able to look at what recommendations they wanted to accept and adopt as part of Doncaster’s policy.

RESOLVED that the Licensing Committee note the report and the issues raised within it.