Issue - meetings

The Committee are asked to agree in principle the Draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy and to authorise public consultation.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Agree in principle the draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

(2)      Agree to delegate to the Head of Housing and Community in consultation with the Chair of the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee the authority to make amendments to the Draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy in accordance with the comments made by the Committee during this meeting, prior to public consultation.

(3)      Agree the policy be subject to public consultation with the results of the consultation and any policy modifications being brought back to the Committee prior to recommendation to full Council for adoption.

The Committee received a report requesting it to agree in principle the Draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy and to authorise public consultation.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Requirement for notification to be in writing. Following a question from a Member, the Principal Licensing Officer informed the Committee that the draft Policy would be updated to require notice to be given to the Council in writing in most instances.

The Committee considered that notice should not be required to be in writing where a licence holder needs to notify the Council of arrest and release, charge or conviction within 48 hours, as this may in some situations create a barrier to the notification being made. The Committee considered that if initial notice was not given in writing, this should be followed up by confirmation in writing within 7 days.

b)            Link to Anti-Idling Policy. The Committee considered that the Council’s Anti-Idling Policy should be referenced within the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy and that receipt of a fine under the Anti-Idling Policy should be included in the penalty points scheme in the Appendix to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

c)            Removal of wording from paragraph 6 (e) of Appendix G.  The Committee considered that paragraph 6 (e) of Appendix G to the Policy (“Make sure that the screen is removed before a vehicle compliance test.”) should be removed.

d)            Amendment to wording of paragraph 4.0 of Appendix H.The Committee considered that the wording of bullet point 5, paragraph 4.0 of Appendix H should be amended to:  “If any occupants are below the age of 18, there should be no alcohol carried in the passenger compartment.”

e)            Licensing Sub-Committees. Following a query regarding the wording of paragraph 2.9.2 of the Policy by the Chair, it was noted that Officers would look into whether the wording required amendment.

f)             Joint warranting arrangements. Following a question from the Chair, it was noted that Officers would seek legal clarification on the process for joint warranting arrangements with the other 11 Surrey local licensing authorities.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Agree in principle the draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

(2)      Agree to delegate to the Head of Housing and Community in consultation with the Chair of the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee the authority to make amendments to the Draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy in accordance with the comments made by the Committee during this meeting, prior to public consultation.

(3)      Agree the policy be subject to public consultation with the results of the consultation and any policy modifications being brought back to the Committee prior to recommendation to full Council for adoption.