ROUND THE COUNCILS
SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE: LICENSING HANDED TO WOLVERHAMPTON
Final approval has been granted by South Staffordshire councillors to hand over taxi licensing services to the neighbouring Wolverhampton authority in order to save money. According to the Express and Star, South Staffordshire Council has seen a fall in the income it receives from taxi licensing services in recent years. It is now set to delegate functions such as processing licence applications and renewals to City of Wolverhampton Council for an initial three-year period. The move will help reduce costs for both the trade and the council, a report to cabinet members said, as well as offering online application facilities and greater choice of garages and medical practitioners for taxi businesses. There will also be greater public safety for customers through improved enforcement activity and tighter standards, the report added. On Tuesday 29 March, South Staffordshire Council’s cabinet backed the plans. Cabinet reports said: “Over the last 18 months due to the difficult operating climate for the trade, several operators have ceased trading, and the income has declined further. “The 2020/21 income for taxi licensing was £54,700 and estimates in October expect income this year to be £61,000, but with declines in subsequent years. “The council has been struggling to balance income and expenditure on taxi licensing for the last five years, and this will increasingly become more difficult with a balance shortfall of £25,000 expected by 2023. “If the taxi licensing function is not delegated to CWC, there will need to be a significant increase in taxi licensing fees in order to sustain a balance in expenditure and income.”
CHELMSFORD: TAXIS MUST OFFER CARD PAYMENTS
All taxis in Chelmsford must now offer card payments to be licensed on the roads in a bid to make the streets safer, the council has confirmed. EssexLive reports that Chelmsford City Council made the announcement after working with taxi drivers to improve their services. The council said electronic payments were an “essential step” to making the service better. The new requirement came into effect from April and will apply to all taxis bidding to renew their licence, of which there are approximately 200 in the city of Chelmsford. All taxis will have a sticker on them to confirm they can take card as well as cash payments. A spokesman for the council said: “For anyone needing a
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cab, finding they have no cash to get home can be a distress- ing experience. Taking electronic payment is an essential step in reducing risk for people out and about, especially at night. The licensing team has been working with taxi drivers to continuously improve the great service they provide. “Chelmsford Council issues some 200 hackney carriage licences, which must be renewed annually. As part of the routine, to maintain a high standard drivers must complete a full day of training followed by an exam as well as a geographical knowledge test. “This year, starting from April, the licensing team introduced a mandatory requirement for drivers to have the facilities to take electronic payments.” Nigel Dermott, licencing lead officer for the council, said: “For the night-time economy and business to flourish, people need a reliable, safe taxi service, and that was the reason for the added licence condition. “We will take a hard line if we establish non-compliance.”
CALDERDALE: CHANGES TO ENGLISH REQUIREMENT ACCEPTED
Councillors in Calderdale have agreed to accept a wider English qualification as a requirement for new taxi and private hire licences being awarded. The Telegraph and Argus reports that at the final meeting of the full Calderdale Council before the May elections, they agreed to continue requesting an ESOL Entry Level 3 English test for all new applications – as part of a consistent approach across West Yorkshire authorities – but also to accept an English taught qualification of Level 1 or above. ESOL stands for English for speakers of other languages, qualifications being studied for by students who did not learn English as their native tongue. The council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee had recommended the change to councillors, arguing that English language qualifications be widened to accept a higher level taught qualification as an alternative to that des- ignated in the policy. The policy review follows guidance and recommendations issued by the DfT. Overall proposed changes to the policy range from basic disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks to the age and condition of vehicles, including vehicle compliance checks. Taxi and private hire representatives had outlined concerns including some relating to extra work for businesses which might be created by expanding the English language qualifications accepted. The Licensing councillors heard existing policy means drivers have to complete entry level three English as a Second Language, with the alternative proposed acceptable qualification being a Level One English taught qualification or above. It was clarified to licensing councillors that the level three qualification was entry level and the alternate was actually a higher level of qualification.
MAY 2022
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