ROUND THE COUNCILS
MIDDLESBROUGH: REFUNDS FOR £181K OVERCHARGE
The taxi industry has been overcharged £181,000 by Middlesbrough Council over the past three years. The local authority has handed out refunds to more than 500 of the 600 proprietors that are owed money and the rest will be contacted in due course. A council spokesperson said the surplus payments were largely due to an error relating to the cost of the taxi vehicle inspection. A spokesperson for Boro Cars said they appreciated the honesty of the council in admitting its error, even if it was disappointing that vehicle licence holders had been overcharged. A Middlesbrough Council spokesperson said: “During work to set the fees for future years it was identified that there had been an overcharge in the calculation of the previous fee primarily related to the cost of the taxi vehicle inspection. “Through conversation with the taxi trade, it was agreed that the best and fairest way to address this is to provide a refund to vehicle owners who were affected.” They added that council officers had processed refunds to more than 500 of the 600 proprietors and the rest will be contacted in due course. A Boro Cars spokesperson said: “It is disappointing to hear that the council has again overcharged all vehicle licence holders, this time for a period of three years. “However, we appreciate their honesty in admitting their error and are also pleased that the council has had a change of heart having now agreed to refund all drivers and other vehicle owners affected.” All vehicles are inspected by the council’s own examiners when a person first applies for a licence. Earlier this year, the council changed its licensing rules so vehicles could be licensed for the first time up to five years old and can stay on the road up until they are ten years of age, or 12 if it is a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Previously, the local authority would only license vehicles for the first time if they were less than three years old and they could remain on the road until they were up to eight years old, or ten years if it was wheelchair accessible. The move came after it became clear that the council was losing out on cash after taxi drivers were travelling to Wolverhampton where cars could be
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licensed for the first time up to 12 years of age and remain licensed up to 17 years of age. It costs between £216 to £268 to license a vehicle depending on the age and whether it’s a private hire vehicle or a hackney carriage.
ROCHFORD: EARN AS YOU LEARN SCHEME SUCCESS
A pioneering scheme, introduced by Rochford’s licencing team, has successfully increased the number of registered taxi and private hire drivers operating in the district. During the pandemic, the whole of the UK saw a decline in the number of drivers working in the sector. According to the Leigh Times, Rochford District Council has worked with the main four operators in its district to develop a scheme encouraging new drivers into the business while still ensuring safety for all passengers. Under the traditional route into the profession, new drivers had to undergo a lengthy training process and pass the knowledge test before they were issued with a hackney carriage drivers' badge. Under the ‘Earn as you Learn’ scheme new drivers can operate as a hire driver while they complete their course. Each driver is assigned a mentor and closely monitored throughout the training process. Drivers have nine months to complete this process. Failure to pass within this time period will result in their badge expiring. As of the start of December 2022, 27 drivers were enrolled on the Earn as You Learn scheme, with five drivers having already successfully completed the course with many more drivers going through the application process. Cllr Arthur Williams, Portfolio Holder for Communities & Health said: “We need to have more taxi drivers trained and working to help our isolated and disabled residents and ensure people can get home safely late at night, so the ‘Earn to Learn Scheme’ is vital in districts like ours. “It’s great to hear this scheme helping drivers get the necessary training, but also earning a wage they need while studying, especially in the current cost-of-living crisis.” To learn more about the scheme or to apply for a taxi licence within the district, please visit the council's Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles page on its website:
https://new.rochford.gov.uk/taxis-and-private-hire-vehicles
JANUARY 2023 PHTM
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