...COUNCILS WALSALL:


TOWNFORA POUNDTOBOOSTTRADE


People will be able to flag down a taxi and travel


into Walsall


town centre for just £1. According to the Wal- sall Chronicle, the Town for a Pound scheme is expected to help boost trade for hackney car- riage drivers. It is also hoped this will increase


town centre footfall. Licensing chiefs have described it is a “win- win situation” for all. Council


spokes-


woman Natalie Green- way confirmed the Town for a Pound scheme was due to start last month. Mirza Khalid, chair-


WIGAN CABBIECHALLENGESTHREE­YEARCRBCHECKS


Wigan cabbies have lost a licensing battle over criminal record checks. Hackney and private hire licence holder Hugh Bennett ap- peared before council- lors to challenge their right to make him pay for an enhanced CRB search every three years. The Worsley Mesnes man, who was appear- ing individually but said he represents many taxi drivers across the borough, insists that the trade are being treated unfairly compared with others who work with children such as teachers or nursery workers. Although the Regula- tion


eventually


who want to renew their licences must agree to a three yearly check


that they


haven’t been convict- ed of any criminal offences which may affect their right in the judgement of council- lors and officers. Mr Bennett has been a taxi licence holder - with an HGV driving break in the middle - for a total of nine years. His hackney licence expires in November, although his private hire licence which he uses to provide a minibus service to school


for special


Committee ruled


against him, 48-year- old Mr Bennett still stands by his com- plaint. He says that only the potential £150,000 legal costs are preventing him mounting an applica- tion to seek a Judicial Review of the coun- cil’s position in the High Court. Council director


corporate for places


Gillian Bishop said that granting the dis- pensation


to Mr


Bennett would then have set a precedent for all hackney and pri- vate hire drivers. Currently taxi drivers


JULY 2012 PHTM


needs youngsters, is due to finish later this month. The council say that consultations carried out across the county show that all other Greater Manchester authorities


also


require drivers to undergo CRB checks every three years. Mr Bennett


had


warned the council by letter that he disputes their rights for the enhanced CRB check to be carried out every three years. He claims that taxi drivers are being dis- criminated since


professions


such as school teach- ers and care workers are subject to less fre- quent CRB checks; and that public service


vehicles operating


passenger carrying services within the borough are also treat- ed “more leniently.” When he applied to renew his private hire licence - which has now expired - he declined to make the relevant CRB applica- tion in protest. This resulted in the council deferring a decision on his appli- cation


until the


Regulation meeting had decided to con- firm refusing the dispensation. Mr Bennett told the Wigan Evening Post: “I haven’t got a problem with CRB checks themselves, I believe we should have them. “But it is a matter of principle and for a level playing field to be applied for all those who fall under a CRB. “Basically it just boils down to my concern that one party who are subject


to these against


checks from the coun- cil - that is the taxi trade - are being treat- ed unfairly compared with other parties who fall under their juris- diction. “We also have to pay for our own CRB checks, which is £44, but all


the other


groups don’t because, as they are employed directly by the council, it pays for them itself.”


man of the Hackney Carriage Association in Walsall, said drivers had the original idea. It is aimed at combat- ing the “dead mileage” of journeys back to the taxi rank. A similar scheme has already proved suc- cessful in Bradford.


SLOUGH: TAXIDRESSCODE BACKLASH


Furious cabbies have hit out after being banned from voicing their concerns about a proposed taxi dress code at a council meeting. Taxi drivers in Slough have been told to clean up their act during the Olympic and Para- lympic Games in a new Slough Borough Coun- cil code of conduct. A licensing committee met last month to dis- cuss the plans. However


Paramjit


Badial, chairman of the Slough Taxi Driv- ers’ Association, said he was appalled coun- cil officers refused him the chance to speak at the meeting. He believes the guide-


lines, which ask cab- bies to wear ties, could be dangerous. Mr Badial


told the


Slough Observer: “We are very upset we couldn’t speak at the meeting. Why were we not allowed? We decided to boycott the meeting and won’t be wearing ties. We’re very angry. “We’re not private hire - we don’t know the details of passengers getting into our taxis. We don’t know who we are picking up and somebody can stran- gle you with a tie.” Council officials said the taxi drivers had already been consult- ed and had their say on the guidelines.


They reiterated the code of conduct is only a guideline and will not be enforced. Cllr Roger Davies, committee chairman, said: “I was advised it wasn’t necessary for the drivers to speak. “They had already been consulted. If they don’t wish to follow the guidelines they don’t have to. Every time we have a meeting, if it affects taxi drivers, we always invite them to talk at meetings.” The code of conduct will be sent to hackney carriage and private hire drivers and opera- tors. The guidelines will be in place between July 27 and September 9.


NORTHEAST LINCS:


Taxi drivers are being given MoTs of a differ- ent kind to help them lead a


ONTHE ROADTO HAVINGACLEANBILLOFHEALTH of


this relates to healthier


lifestyle. They were offered checks for blood pres- sure, weight and body mass index, as well as being given advice on alcohol, smoking, ex- ercise, cancer aware- ness and general wellbeing. The improvement drive has been created by North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus (CTP) and North East Lin- colnshire Council. And up to 200 drivers were expected to pop in for a check at the special surgery being held at the West Marsh Community Centre on 13 and 14 June. Geoff Barnes, acting director of public health at the CTP, told the Grimsby Evening Telegraph: “We know that the health of the population of North East Lincolnshire is worse than the nation- al average and much


lifestyle choices, for example high levels of smoking, high alcohol intake, poor diet and little exercise. “By providing some simple health checks, we can help prevent ill health by identifying potential issues at a very early stage. “Taxi drivers are being targeted because the nature of their work places them for long hours behind the wheel. Many may grab a bite to eat when the opportunity


arises,


which may lead them to eating less healthily. “Also, the majority of local taxi drivers are men, who as a group are less likely to visit their GP over any health concerns they may have. “Those who attended received a voucher for a free vehicle inspec- tion check with the council’s taxi licensing team.” Dave Atkin,


from Coxon’s Cars, and


chairman of the North East Lincolnshire Hack- ney Carriage Asso- ciation, said: “I think this is a really good idea and I encourage all drivers to book into one of the sessions. It is important for drivers to keep themselves fit and healthy so that they are always alert and attentive when carrying customers.” Cllr Ros


James,


NELC’s portfolio hold- er for housing and wellbeing, said: “The council is delighted to support this initiative. Making simple lifestyle changes can often make a huge differ- ence to health and wellbeing, and I’m sure this initiative could make a significant con- tribution to promoting a fitter and healthier workforce in our area.” It is hoped that any les- sons learned from this initiative can be used to shape similar mini health check schemes to other groups of workers in the area.


PAGE 45


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