Agenda and minutes

To inform Members of a request from the taxi trade to add an additional taxi fare for licensed Hackney Carriages vehicles operating in the Fenland District Council area which are carrying more than 4 passengers

Members considered a report presented by Michelle Bishop in response to a request from the taxi trade to add an additional tariff to licenced Hackney Carriage vehicles operating in the Fenland District Council area which are carrying more than four passengers. 

Michelle advised of the 110 persons consulted, 25 operate a vehicle carrying more than four passengers. 

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows:

·       Councillor Humphrey asked for clarification as to whether this was an additional tariff or modification of an existing one. Michelle Bishop confirmed it was a request for an additional rate across all three tariffs for vehicles carrying over four passengers. 

·       Councillor Humphrey asked how many vehicles potentially would use this additional tariff. Michelle Bishop confirmed there are currently 25 registered hackney carriage vehicles that carry more than four passengers. 

·       Councillor Tanfield asked if the fares were ‘like for like’ with other areas such as East Cambs or Huntingdon. Michelle Bishop confirmed this was the case.

·       Councillor Oliver said he assumed the majority of the 25 vehicles were brought after the previous tariff was set and therefore drivers knew the costs. Michelle Bishop stated that as the previous tariff was set in 2012 this was assumed correct. 

·       Councillor Tierney stated he was inclined to be led by the trade on these decisions. However, he felt that some of the comments made in the consultation were invalid; the charge is a maximum fee and does not have to be charged. He appreciated what Councillor Oliver had said about drivers knowing the costs, however maybe drivers just want the option to be able to charge a little more to help cover costs such as fuel and running costs, which have escalated since 2012. He asked if the Committee had powers to consider alternatives. Michelle Bishop advised that this was the case; the fee put forward can be amended. Whatever decision is made, there would need to be another consultation to be brought back to the Committee for approval. Councillor Tierney said he had also noted comments made about Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve not being bank holidays, nevertheless incurring additional expense because of rowdy behaviour and drunkenness, and thought this to be a fair and valid comment; if there is the power to do so, we should allow drivers to treat these dates as bank holidays for those reasons.

·       Councillor Owen noted that 14 out of 110 responses were received and that the Interim Licensing Manager’s letter of 18September stated that “where no response is provided from Hackney Carriage Proprietors, no vote will be counted”. Michelle Bishop clarified this did not mean a “no” vote, but that she could not add non-responses into the consultation to bring forward to the Committee. Councillor Owen added that this tariff is an optional extra; drivers do not have to charge it. If Fenland District Council gives them the facility to enable them to do so, then some will charge and some will not but that will be  ...  view the full minutes text for item LIC1/18