Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, County Hall, Newport, Isle of WIght

Contact: Marie Bartlett  Email: democratic.services@iow.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

6.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 103 KB

To confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2021.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2021 were approved as a true record.

7.

Declarations of Interest

To invite Members to declare any interest they might have in the matters on the agenda.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

8.

Public Question Time

Questions are restricted to matters not on the Agenda. Questions may be asked without notice but to guarantee a full reply at the meeting, a question must be put including the name and address of the questioner by delivery in writing or by electronic mail to Democratic Services at democratic.services@iow.gov.uk, no later than two clear working days before the start of the meeting. Normally, Licensing Committee is held on a Monday, therefore the deadline for written questions will be Wednesday, 23 February 2022.

Minutes:

No public questions were received.

9.

Urgent Business

To consider any matters which, in the Chairman’s opinion, are urgent.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

10.

Report of the Director of Neighbourhoods

10a

Review of Hackney Carriage Table of Fares pdf icon PDF 562 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Licensing Manager presented the report and explained that the table of fares showed the maximum fare that could be charged at different times of the day. It was required to be reviewed annually but it would only come before the Committee if an increase was deemed appropriate.This was the first step in the process.

 

There were currently 125 taxi proprietors and 298 drivers. The taxi trade had been consulted and 35 responses had been received. Of these, 34 were from individuals and one from the taxi association which purported to represent 50 members. The majority had requested a fare increase based on the fact that insurance and fuel had both increased, along with a number of other factors. Various options had been considered and the trade  had preferred Option 4. Appendix 4 to the report showed the proposed revised table of fares which, if approved, would be subject to further public consultation by way of a notice in the local paper, and also on the council’s website and social media pages and by contacting local user groups such as Age Concern and Sight for Wight.

 

In response to a number of questions from members, clarification was given of the difference between hackney carriage and private hire vehicles and it was explained that there was currently no difference in the maximum fare chargeable for diesel or electric vehicles. There were currently only a few electric vehicles licensed on the island. It was believed that taxi sharing should be incentivised as this could improve the availability of taxis and promote environmental issues. It was not possible for the council to stipulate the hours when taxis must be available for hire.

 

The most recent fare increase had been in 2019 for tariff 1 only. Prior to that the last increase was in 2014. 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the existing Table of Fares be agreed as amended in Appendix 4 to the report, and that statutory notice of the amended Table of Fares be duly published in at least one local newspaper circulating in the area setting out the amended Table of Fares, stating in that notice a specified period of not less than 14 days within which objections can be made, and that such notice be made available for public inspection at the offices at County Hall.

11.

Members' Question Time

To guarantee a reply to a question, a question  must be submitted in writing or by electronic mail to democratic.services@iow.gov.uk no later than 4.00 pm on Thursday, 24 February 2022. A question may be asked at the meeting without prior notice but in these circumstances there is no guarantee that a full reply will be given at the meeting.

Minutes:

Cllr Jarman asked whether any further training was planned for the Committee. The Licensing Manager indicated that he would liaise with the Chairman for some training to be arranged and invited members to indicate any areas of particular interest. Cllr Fuller suggested that the training could be tagged onto the end of the next meeting of the Committee.

 

Cllr Fuller also asked whether there had been any response following the motion to Full Council regarding making the letting off of fireworks a licensable activity. The Chairman confirmed that no response had been received but that it would be followed up.