Agenda item

To consider a report of the Corporate Manager for Public Health, Regulation and Housing putting forward a proposal to increase the maximum table of fares that may be charged to users of Hackney Carriages in Mid Devon.

The Cabinet had before it a * report of the Corporate Manager for Public Health, Regulation and Housing putting forward a proposal to increase the maximum table of fares that may be charged to users of Hackney Carriages in Mid Devon.

The Cabinet Member for Community Well-Being outlined the contents of the report stating that: under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, district councils were able to set the fares that Hackney Carriage vehicles could charge the public for journeys in their area. The Council did not set the fares for Private Hire Vehicles. In setting the fares for taxis, what the Council was trying to do was to strike a balance between the public interest and the interests of the drivers.

He informed the meeting that most issues relating to the licensing of the hackney carriage and private hire trade were matters for the Regulatory Committee to consider. However, in this particular case, the adoption of a Hackney Carriage Tariff was a Cabinet function.

He stated that as set out in the report, Mid Devon previously reviewed the taxi fares in 2010 and the current tariff was attached to the report as Annex 1. Section 3 of the report compared the current Mid Devon tariff with neighbouring authorities and that this was specifically based on a 2 mile journey at tariff 1. This highlighted that Mid Devon was now the lowest charge regionally. Additionally, Table 1 also showed that the current tariff placed the authority 242nd nationally, out of 362 authorities. Section 4 of the report gave details of the discussions that the Licensing Team had with the trade and the proposals put forward. He then set out the detail of the consultation that had taken place with the trade as highlighted within the report

He asked that the Cabinet agree a tariff for adoption and direct the Licensing Team to carry out all required work to adopt it. As part of the process, the Council needed to advertise the proposed tariff and at that point, any party could make objections against it. If there were any objections, then the matter would be referred back to Cabinet to consider.

He then made the following recommendations for consideration:

·         That Proposal A be adopted

·         That Tariff 2 starts at 19:00 hours

·         That the luggage charge stay as it is (at £0.20)

·         That the fouling charge be increased to £100

Consideration was given to:

·         Proposal A and the need to consider the times within tariff 2 and 3.  It was felt that the daytime tariff was used by the public for necessary daytime trips whereas the later tariff would be used mostly for leisure activities

·         Whether 11pm was a suitable time for the tariffs to start or whether 9pm was more suitable

·         How the consultation process would be advertised

·         The length of time between reviews and that 10 years was rather a long time and whether a five year review would be more appropriate

RESOLVED that:

a)    Proposal A be adopted (as set out in Appendix 1 of the report) subject to an amendment to Tariff 2 so as to read that ‘Journeys begun between 9.00pm and 7.00am - all day Sunday and Bank Holidays’; and an amendment to Tariff 3 so as to read that ‘Journeys begun between 9.00pm and midnight on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve; all day Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day’;

b)    The luggage charge stay as it is at £0.20;

c)    The fouling charge be increased to £100;

d)    Hackney Carriage tariffs be reviewed every 5 years.

(Proposed by Cllr D J Knowles and seconded by Cllr C R Slade)

Reason for the decision – there is a need to set the table of fares that may be charged to users of Hackney Carriages in Mid Devon.

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.