...COUNCILS HARROGATE:


HELP FOR HEROES STICKER FALLS FOUL OF RULES


A former soldier now working as a taxi driver has been forced to remove a sticker sup- porting the Help for Heroes charity from his cab following a com- plaint by a councillor. Bob Turner, 52, was forced to remove the small sticker from his PHV after Harrogate Borough Council said it contravened regula- tions. Mr Turner served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engi- neers for six years, seeing action in North- ern Ireland. He climbed Scafell Pike two years ago, raising £900 for the charity. Mr Turner, from Ripon, told the Yorkshire Post: “The inspector was very sympathetic, but he told me that I


had been reported by a councillor and had to remove the sticker. It is so petty, they could have ignored it. It beg- gars belief really.” Council rules say that only stickers referring to the taxi company or the licence can be dis- played.


“I haven’t had any option but to remove it,” said Mr Turner. “The council makes these rules and I have got to abide by those rules or I will lose my licence. If it had been a football sticker, or had been advertising something I could understand it, but it’s a very important charity.” A spokeswoman for Harrogate Borough Council confirmed Mr Turner had been asked to remove the


sticker, but said the rules had been applied “equally and fairly.”


Section 2.2.7 of the Harrogate Borough Council hackney car- riage and private hire vehicle rules and regu- lations states that a licence can only be issued if “all windows are clear of stickers with approved excep- tions”.


Mmmm...Sorry, but this item will be amongst the contenders for this year’s Jobsworth award in our year-end review. A council’s main remit within taxi/PHV licensing is public safety; since when would a small sticker supporting one of our most worthwhile charities endanger the public?! - Ed.


NORTHAMPTON: NEW VEHICLE AGE RESTRICTION CONSIDERED


Private hire vehicles could be taken off the road once they reach eight years old under new legislation being considered by North- ampton Borough Council.


The authority tried to implement an age limit on private hire vehi- cles six years ago, but scrapped the plans following a backlash from drivers. Now,


the council’s


licensing committee is looking at the propos- als again after officials warned older vehicles operating in the town consistently failed spot checks, with problems as serious as disintegrated brake pipes.


In a report to be seen by members of the council’s licensing committee, the author- ity’s principle licen- sing officer, Phil Bayliss, said an age


limit would reflect poli- cies already imposed in Daventry, Kettering and Wellingborough. He said: “A number of councils have intro- duced an age policy with regard to these vehicles and all have proved successful in improving the quality of vehicles and enhancing the image of the trade in general. “There has also been a noticeable decrease in the failure rate when these vehicles are tested.”


The licensing expert also claimed the intro- duction of an eight- year age limit on pri- vate hire vehicles in Northampton would lead to the creation of a high-quality fleet of more reliable, safer and less polluting vehicles working in the town.


But private hire drivers have repeated the


NOVEMBER 2011 PHTM


opposition they raised to the plans back in 2005.


The chairman of the Northampton Private Hire Association, Kevin Willsher, told the Northampton Chroni- cle and Echo: “My phone has been ring- ing red hot since the proposals came out and the opinion of the trade is very powerful. “Things are difficult enough already for drivers. A lot of them are in debt with their mortgages because of the recession and if this goes ahead, they’ll have to get finance to buy new cars. Even if you’ve got a brand new car, if it’s not serv- iced properly, it can be in a bad condition within a year.”


If the proposals were implemented by the council, they would be rolled out over two years.


EAST LINDSEY: CABBIES HAVE A SAY ON CHANGES


Taxi drivers are being asked their views on proposed licensing changes that could include improving standards of service. East Lindsey District Council is reviewing its licensing policies and has proposed changes that it is ask- ing taxi drivers to comment on.


The proposals include a requirement for driv- ers to offer a good standard of disabled access.


This would involve successfully undergo- ing a wheelchair loading test before driving a wheelchair accessible taxi or pri-


vate hire vehicle. It is also recommend- ed that a penalty points system be intro- duced to encourage drivers to comply with legislative require- ments and licence conditions.


Drivers totting up 12 points would have their licence called in for review by the coun- cil’s licensing com- mittee.


Also included is a code of good conduct for drivers and proprietors. East Lindsey District Council licensing offi- cer Adrian Twiddy told the Lincolnshire Echo: “The most radical ele- ment of the proposal


is the introduction of a penalty points system for drivers.


“The system would only impact on those who fail to comply with their legislative require- ments, which includes displaying their identifi- cation badge at all times and keeping their vehicle in a satisfactory condition.


“This is an opportunity for us to work with taxi drivers and other inter- ested parties to consider how we can improve standards for customers.”


The council’s formal consultation on the proposals closes on Friday, December 2.


NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE: DRIVERS DISPUTE TAXI LICENCE PROFIT


Council bosses have rejected claims from taxi drivers that they are making a profit from licensing cabs. Taxi drivers have threatened legal action after claiming North Lincolnshire Council stood to make a profit of more than £51,000 this year from licensing their cabs. But the Conservative- run local authority insists the 2011-12 licensing budget will only break even and has offered to meet leaders of the 100- strong Scunthorpe and District Taxi Asso- ciation to discuss their concerns.


The row started after the association sub- mitted a request under the Freedom of Infor- mation Act to investigate the licens- ing budget at the council.


Spokesman Stuart Commander claims that councils can only budget to recover all reasonable costs.


He told the Scunthor- pe Evening Telegraph: “Licensing taxis is a not-for-profit cost recovery service and any money paid by licence payers must be dedicated to licens- ing. From the budget reports, we need to know whether this is happening. In the association’s opinion, licence holders are being illegally used as cash cows.


“At the same time the council is running down the licensing department by cutting staff. We believe it is becoming not fit for purpose due to no fault at all of the hard working staff who are struggling to keep up with demand.”


A North Lincolnshire Council spokesman said: “We have received a letter from the association and we have responded. “The simple fact is there is no financial surplus on the licens- ing function. Each


financial year-end, an adjustment is made to council budgets. “This is to recover costs incurred throughout the year for support given to the departments and is typically for services such as human resources, information technology and prem- ises costs.


“The licensing budget is set to break even. We have offered to meet with the associa- tion to discuss the matter further should they require.”


Mr Commander later said he would be tak- ing legal advice from his national associa- tion with a view to court action.


He added: “Under the Freedom of Informa- tion Act, I have now asked for a break- down of the central establishment charges for taxi licensing and the records show the council budgeted £104,690 and stand to recoup £155,860.”


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