ROUND THE COUNCILS GWYNNED:
LICENCE FEE HIKE OF 12% PROPOSED
Proposed recommendations to raise the fees for taxi licences have been agreed after Cyngor Gwynedd’s general licensing committee met on Monday, June 12. The committee considered plans to raise the charges to recommended levels - subject to a consultation with the taxi industry and public notice. The rises would allow the council to recover its costs and could mean an average increase of around 12%. Since 2013, the council has annually reviewed its fees for HC licences, PHV licences, PH operator licences and drivers’ licences. By law, the council can make a charge to cover reasonable costs for granting a driver’s licence for a HC or PHV, and towards costs associated for processing, administration and issuing licences. They can also charge for granting a vehicle and operator’s
licence, for inspection costs, hackney
carriage stands, public notices, management and supervision of vehicles and the costs associated with application processing. Taxi fees cannot be increased to raise income for the council - only to recoup cash for processing and administering licences. Gwynedd’s fees were previously increased by 25% in 2013, 19.78% in 2014, and 10.78% in 2015. In 2016/17 and in 2017/18, they did not increase at all - but it was agreed to increase them at an average of 28% across the various taxi licensing fees for 2018/19. However, during the Covid crisis, in March 2021 a recommendation was made that all taxi fees should be increased in line with inflation. At the time that was 2.59% - although that rise was not considered “enough to fully recover the council’s costs.” Then the authority had felt the taxi industry had “faced significant losses” during lockdowns. It was decided not to recommend the full recovery of costs, beyond the level set in 2018/19. However, amid recent rising inflation and higher costs of providing the taxi licensing service, the matter came before the committee. They also considered the cost of officers’ training needs, advertising and consulting on fee changes, and an increased level of checks required to ensure the suitability of drivers, vehicles and operators. A report also pointed to “changes on the horizon” such as completing the review of the Combined Taxi Policy, which will adopt the recommendations of the
52
DfT’s National Statutory Hackney and Private Hire Vehicle Standards; and incorporating proposals in the Welsh Government’s White Paper consultation over taxi industry regulation. The committee’s report stated “Having considered all the factors noted, we believe there is not much choice but to increase the fees if we are to maintain the service expected by the public and the industry.” What the recommendations could mean: • A one year taxi driver’s licence currently £233 rising to £254 in 2023/24
• A three-year HC licence, now £270, up to £353 • A new HC licence, currently £232 (total includes internal and external plates (HC and PH) and sticker (PH) increase to £259
• A renewal of a HC licence (total includes internal and external plates (HC and PH), and sticker (private hire) up from £197 to £213
• Transfer of a HC licence to a new owner, and the charge for transfer of PH licence would remain at £75
• A new PH licence currently £268 (total includes internal and external plates (HC and PH), and sticker (PH) up to £295
• Renewal of PH licence (total includes internal and external plates (HC and PH), and sticker (PH) from £197 to £213
• A one-year operator licence now £236, rising to £257, a three-year operator licence from £275 to £300 and a five-year operator licence from £329 to £358 A licensing committee member said “Several committee members had felt it was now important to recommend raising the fees.”
ARGYLL AND BUTE: MAXIMUM FARES TO REMAIN THE SAME
Maximum fares in Argyll and Bute are set to remain the same after councillors agreed to make no changes. Taxi operators across the area were consulted as part of the council’s taxi fare scale review, with a new structure required to be implemented by late October. The majority of operators who responded supported no increase to fares, although one councillor remarked the consultation had a “very poor” response. Consideration was given at a meeting of the council’s licensing committee on Wednesday June 21. The proposal to keep taxi fare prices as they are will now be advertised and responses invited before the committee next meets on Wednesday August 23.
JULY 2023 PHTM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
