COUNCIL CONTROVERSIES
FURIOUS KNOWSLEY CABBIES DESCEND ON TOWN HALL MEETING AMID LICENSING ROW
Dozens of taxi and private hire drivers descended on a packed licensing meeting in Huyton on Thursday night, 26 January to express their anger about how taxi licences are issued. The meeting, which was to discuss planned fee increases of 10% for drivers in the borough – was attended by drivers “fed up” of delays in processing licences and a change to the system brought about since the pandemic. Some even said they were on the “verge of giving up” after being left without licences for weeks on end. Many spoke of their anger at a new online system introduced by the council, which has left many older drivers struggling to manage. The council chamber was filled to capacity so council officials made space on the ground floor for the dozens of drivers unable to get in. Upstairs in the packed council chamber, licensing officer Brian Toolan introduced the proposals by detailing several errors with the schedule of charges published ahead of the meeting. On the price increases, he said: “It should be 19% in line with inflation” and cost increases. He said: “We’re trying to claw back some of the deficit” in the licensing department’s budget, adding that fees had not been increased since 2018. Liverpool City Regional Hackney Carriage Cooperative represent- ative Tony Carr, then spoke to councillors on behalf of drivers. Mr Carr said it was “disappointing” officers had not consulted with trade reps before publishing the plans, adding: “The only way I saw
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Stretton Way to issue plates once tests had been completed – and to install an officer at a One Stop Shop or council office so that drivers, many of whom are over 60 and not proficient in IT, can get
this was by chance. It’s not been discussed with us. Why?” He said that while drivers accept costs have gone up and staff need adequate pay, the main concern was over delays with renewals, leaving some drivers struggling. Mr Carr added: We don’t have pension funds, holiday or sick pay. The benefits system won’t pay us if we’re not working.” He also took issue with a statement in the report produced ahead of the committee about the department’s success in processing 1,400 applications. He said that figure “smashed” the number of licence renewals in the borough each year without taking into account new applications. Mr Carr said it was a situation that was pushing drivers to go to Wolverhampton – which processes a quarter of all England’s licence applications – instead of to Knowsley, adding that if the situation continued it could lead to a smaller pool of drivers covering the cost of the licensing department. He said: “Hackneys can’t go to Wolverhampton. We have to stay here, and if we stay here we pay for the whole of the admin costs.” Mr Carr said drivers had two “asks” – for a licensing officer to be stationed in the test depot at
assistance with their applications. He said the system as it was currently being run was “not working” and was impacting vulnerable children using the home to school service as well as drivers themselves. The committee chair, Cllr Terry Powell, said the council was “listening” to drivers, adding: “we can reassure you that you won’t be here next year saying the same.” Cllr Burke said that Knowsley “must do all in its power to streamline and expedite” licence
drivers and Cllr Stewart asked whether adding a second test station would help. Mr Toolan said the testing was “not the issue” but rather the issuing of plates. Frustrated drivers in the public gallery called out about the length of time it takes to process badges, with one saying “the adminis- tration doesn’t work.” After more shouts out from the public gallery the chair said: “We’re taking it on board, give us a chance” before councillors agreed to the fees increase which will now go to consultation. After the meeting, as drivers streamed out of the council offices, Mr Carr added: “They said they’ve listened, I feel somewhat optimistic – but it remains to be seen now if they’ve really heard us.”
FEBRUARY 2023 PHTM
renewals for
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