HAVE RELEVANCE IN 2022?
So the officers of the DLTA decided to invite the new Chair and Vice Chair of the Licensing Committee to our December General Meeting. The Vice Chair accepted our offer and attended the meeting, where we put forward many con- cerns about the policy which the full council was going to ratify 12 hours later and requested that the vote was stopped and that meetings between the trade and Council- lors were held.
As good as her word, the Vice Chair had the vote deferred till the January 26 full council meeting.
NO MEETING was held.
We had to write our concerns and submit them. The usual sinking feeling of DCC business as usual behaviour came over me and I was not wrong.
On 4 January, a letter was sent from the Licensing Manager, basically saying: thanks but no thanks, we are going with what we’ve got.
“So, we had to write to every individual Councillor outlining our problems with the policy, including the advice they had received from licensing that they would be breaking the law if they didn’t vote the policy through on the 26 January 2022.”
We also held protests, up to and including on 24 January. The first couple took place in Durham City with drivers from all over the county, the largest protest on the 24 January went from County Hall in Durham City to licensing at Mead- owfield. More protests were planned for 25 and 26 January around the county.
You don’t need to be a big association in numbers, Durham County covers 862 square miles and 1,440 drivers [figures DCC Jan 2022] spread over that area. Many are not spring chickens and not on social media, so you can see the prob- lem reaching every driver. BUT a good group of members willing to put the work in and VERY GOOD national partners will give you a fighting chance to achieve some changes to improve the future for passengers and drivers.
We invited one MP from each party [we have Conservative and Labour MPs] before Christmas, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Licensing Committee, the Police and Crime Commis- sioner and Gary Philipson a presenter/reporter from BBC Radio Tees to join our Secretary and myself on what would have been Black Eyed Friday. It turned out to be a dead night thanks to the Government, but Durham City MP Mary Foy, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner Nigel Bryson, Gary Philipson joined our Secretary and myself in Durham City for about three hours - the radio part can be found on our FB page. They found the experience eye opening.
For our April General Meeting we have invited all six Durham County MPs to discuss, Women and Vulnerable People’s Safety and National Taxi and Private Hire Laws. We are still awaiting replies from some and Gary Philipson has asked if he can attend, of course we said yes. So far one has declined the invitation, one is checking their diary, another depends on their appointments in London and two have yet to respond.
We are now looking at tariff rises to help struggling drivers and as of 23 March 2022, nobody from DCC has made any contact with DLTA or CWWG members about the licensing policy.
What should a taxi and private hire association be doing?
The choice is yours to make, but don’t complain about what the association is doing if you’re not a member, or if you are but don’t attend meetings.
A large active taxi and private hire association would make life easier, but a determined association can do many things. Not having one means nobody has your back, even if you work for a large company, many times you’re on your own.
At a Cabinet Meeting on 24 January, the policy was with- drawn and a new consultation, including face to face meetings, was to take place four weeks later. And nothing has happened - a bit worrying when they hope to vote on a new policy within SIX
MONTHS....five to go.
APRIL 2022
Time to choose? Mike Anderson Chair
Durham Licensed Taxi Association
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