Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth presented the recommendation, which was referred to in the Executive report of 23 November 2021. She said that the policy had been updated by Officers, subject to public consultation and the Licensing Committee. The council was responsible for the regulation of the Private Hire and Hackney Carriage taxi drivers and the proposed points scheme would allow Officers to take a wider range of enforcement action outside the remit of the Suitability Policy which dealt with serious offences resulting in suspension or revocation of licences. Councillor Goodeve said that the points scheme had been updated following new standards being issued from the Department of Transport.

Councillor Goodeve proposed, and Councillor Bolton seconded a motion supporting the recommendation. On being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED - That the Taxi Licensing Points Policy be adopted.

The Executive Member for Planning and Growth presented a report on the revised Taxi Licensing Points Policy. The policy had been out for consultation with the taxi trade and had been endorsed by the Licensing Committee. The council has responsibility for the regulation of hackney carriage drivers within East Herts and the Council have already adopted a taxi driver suitability policy which set out the standards expected of drivers and sanctions available if they do not meet them. The suitability policy was relevant when dealing with drivers or operators with convictions or cautions for serious crimes. The points scheme was to allow for a wider range of enforcement options for those drivers or operators exhibiting behaviours that was not acceptable but not serious enough for a penalty under the suitability policy.

Councillor Goodeve said that the council had operated a points policy for a number of years but it had been revised in light of updated guidance to the Department of Transport’s Vehicle Standards in 2020. By accepting the policy, the council would follow the most up to date guidance, giving Officers a full range of tools to endorse standards.

Councillor Goodeve proposed, and Councillor McAndrew seconded a motion supporting the recommendation in the report. On being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – To recommend to Council the adoption of the Licensing Records Points Scheme.

The Licensing Enforcement Officer presented the proposed Licensing Records Points Scheme following a consultation. At the previous meeting, the Committee agreed that the draft scheme should go out for consultation for a period of eight weeks. The consultation was due to take place between 19 July and 10 September 2021. However, it had been brought to Officers attention that the consultation had possibly not reached the whole trade and therefore, the consultation was extended to 22 September 2021. The Licensing Enforcement Officer highlighted the two responses received at Appendix A of the report from East Herts licence holders. They had raised a number of points but were dealt with separately with a response from Officers. As a result of the consultation, no amendments had been proposed to the draft scheme but the current scheme was in need of an update and no negative views had been expressed with the scheme in the past.

The Chairman referred to page 83 and the two responses received from the consultation. He said that although they did not relate to the consultation, he shared their concerns. He asked the Officers to investigate the issues raised and report back to the Committee with an update to see if there was a solution.

Councillor Wilson proposed an amendment to the scheme. He referred to paragraph 31 on page 91 and was unsure how late applications for a renewal of a licence would affect public safety. He said that the legislation stated that a driver must be fit and proper and he could not understand how a late application would impact on those criteria.

The Licensing Enforcement Officer said that she would be happy for this to be removed. She said that research had been conducted into what other Local Authorities do in the case of late renewal applications and the six points was common.

The Chairman added that East Herts worked together with Watford and Dacorum so schemes should be kept in sync.

Councillor Wilson suggested a further amendment at paragraph 22. He asked for wording to be added around the use of racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory language to send a clear message that East Herts did not tolerate its use. The Licensing Enforcement Officer said that she was happy to find the wording and add into the scheme.

The Chairman asked Councillor Wilson to discuss the additional wording with the Licensing Enforcement Officer and get it agreed with himself and the Vice-Chairman outside of the meeting. He then added that there were not many matters for which three points would be awarded in the scheme.

Councillor Goldspink said that she felt six points for a late renewal was unreasonable. She said that if a driver’s licence had expired, they could not trade anyway. She understood the need to keep in step with the other authorities but felt there should be no penalty.

The Chairman asked Officers if trading when a licence has expired was covered in the policy. The Licensing Enforcement Officer said  ...  view the full minutes text for item 194