Agenda item

The Committee received an annual update report on the taxi and private hire trade from Mike Smith, Senior Specialist, Licensing and Community Safety.  The Committee noted that the Council in its role as the Licensing Authority was responsible for administering and enforcing a number of pieces of legislation and guidance surrounding the Councils licensing and registration functions.  The report detailed the Council’s responsibilities, details of the service, statistics, service requests and future projects.  It also detailed the support that the Licensing Authority had offered to the trade whilst the covid restrictions were in place.  The Committee noted that the taxi policy was updated a few years ago and brought in a number of further measures in respect of standards for vehicles and drivers.  For example, livery vehicles now had to be fitted with CCTV, following the approval of that policy in 2021.

The Committee noted that the number of hackney carriage driver applications had increased in 2021-22, probably as a result of covid.  It was further noted that the taxi knowledge test could be completed at the applicant’s own home and confirmation was sought that this was correct.

Mike Smith, Senior Specialist, Licensing and Community Safety confirmed that the Council’s knowledge test had proved popular.  It used to be offered as a paper-based test that applicants had to sit in Council Chamber and officers subsequently marked.  However, this procedure took up a lot of officer time, to generate the test paper and mark 20-30 test papers at a time and then manually communicate the results to the drivers.  As covid restrictions lifted there was a pressure on local authorities to make sure that they had met their statutory duties in issuing taxi driver licences.  In order to fulfil that demand, the Council therefore started offering an online test which had to be booked and a secure link was then sent to the applicant’s email address.  Mike did not have the pass and fail rates of the tests to hand but could be obtained and circulated to the Committee for their information.  The integrity of the process was called into question by allowing people to take the test at home.  It was noted that people did still fail the test.  Further checks and balances could be introduced such as monitoring IP addresses.  However, in order to bring the test back in-house would require IT support which already had a number of projects delayed.  Assistance was therefore required from an outside IT company and it was uncertain when that would transpire.

The Committee remained concerned regarding allowing applicants to take the taxi knowledge test at home.  How was the identity of the applicant verified given that someone else could easily take the test on that person’s behalf.  The safety of the public was paramount and the Committee wanted to ensure that the person who had passed to test was the same person who would be driving the taxi.

Mike Smith, Senior Specialist, Licensing and Community Safety confirmed that the safety of the public was of paramount importance.  People sitting the taxi knowledge test are sent a unique link to their email address.  However, a more robust checking process was sought whereby the testing could be taken back in house and peoples ID’s checked.  It was also noted that the taxi knowledge test was only a small part of the process of becoming a taxi driver.  Applicants needed to complete an enhanced DBS check, a medical examination and a driving assessment where they have to show a copy of their driving licence.  Whilst it was acknowledged that the knowledge test was open to abuse there were a number of safeguards in place to ensure that the applicant was one in the same person.

The Committee noted the table relating to the cases considered by the licensing or regulatory sub-committee.  In 2022, there were 13 cases considered in relation to whether a driver or an applicant was a fit and proper person.  What was the proportion of those 13 cases where the person or applicant was found to be unfit and how many cases were either revoked or refused.  Mike Smith, Senior Specialist, Licensing and Community Safety confirmed that he did not have the figures to hand but would collate the information to send to councillors shortly. 

The Committee noted the table on page 25 which detailed that the Council had received 133 complaints in 2022 which were mostly in relation to safety and comfort.  Had any complaints been received about the refusal of taxi drivers to carry guide dogs?  Mike Smith, Senior Specialist, Licensing and Community Safety confirmed that he was not aware of any such complaints relating to a refusal by taxi drivers to take guide dogs.  A piece of law was introduced last year to give additional protection to disabled people in this regard and the Licensing Authority had made drivers aware of their duties of carrying passengers who require extra assistance. In 2017, Mike was made aware of a concern raised in relation to this and trade test assessments were carried out as a result.

The Committee noted the annual update it received in relation to Taxi and Private Hire licensing.