Issue - items at meetings - Request for scrutiny of Taxis for Disabled People

15.1 The Chief Officer of the Brighton & Hove Federation of Disabled People (FED) Geraldine Des Moulins introduced the request for scrutiny. She said there had been problems in the City about fair access for disabled people to Wheelchair accessible vehicles  (WAVs) for a long time; since at least 1998. The FED did not advocate 100% accessible taxis but was working to increase the proportions of WAVs. That would be helpful both for the trade and for disabled residents and tourists, who often rely on taxis and private hire vehicles for independent everyday living.

15.2 The FED preferred to work collaboratively, however they felt like a ‘lonely’ voice amongst influential voices and there were barriers working with the Licensing Department. All taxi users including disabled passengers ought to have more of a say about the service provision, she said.

15.3 Efforts to work via the Licensing Committee had been exhausted and although taxi licensing was a complex area that Committee should be better briefed, in her opinion. Other Local Authority areas had made better progress, working proactively with disabled people, so why could that not happen in Brighton & Hove?

15.4 The Head of Environmental Health and Licensing outlined policy development work that had been undertaken via the Licensing Committee as set out in the Appendix; most of the agreed actions were now complete. Further actions had been added more recently and new requests were to be considered. Progress against equalities issues were being monitored and reported to Licensing.  He told Members that nationally, some of the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 had not been introduced as timetabled and taxi licensing laws, widely considered arcane, were being reformed. There was no prescribed percentage or definition of WAVs. This was a difficult and complex area that did affect livelihoods and lives, he said.

15.5 The FED’s Chief Officer strongly disagreed that significant actions had been completed and said it was unclear who was leading on implementing changes. She argued that much could be achieved by working together now, as elsewhere, rather than continually waiting for changes in the law.

15.6 Asked what Scrutiny could achieve, Geraldine Des Moulins stated that Licensing and taxi services could be influenced and improved if all the relevant stakeholders were listened to.

15.7 A Member commented that the Licensing Committee was kept informed about increasing the number of WAVs and that key issues were discussed at the Taxi Forum before being taken to Licensing.

15.8 In deciding on any action, the Committee wished to give Licensing Committee time to consider the matters raised in the June request for scrutiny and in additional information submitted by the FED in August.

15.9 After discussion the Committee agreed to ask for a further report to 23 January 2011 ECSOSC, to deal with the 6 bullet points listed in the request for scrutiny, plus additional concerns from the FED referred to in a separate note including: Engagement with all taxi service users; Disabled facilities for taxi pick-up at the football stadium; Information in the Blue Book about accessibility for disabled users; Openness and transparency of policy and practice on enforcement; eg suspension of licences/delay in related health checks;  Frequency and method of licence renewal; Value for Money of driver training course; Length/consistency of Hackney Carriage Office knowledge tests and reason for separate tests for Brighton and Hove; Data and record keeping eg on number of WAV licences, driver training, checks on equipment such as ramps and swivel chairs; Efficient work practices; Types of WAV that are acceptable for a licence application;  The High standard (and therefore cost) of the City’s taxi fleet,  compared with competitiveness for key Council school and other contracts; and the Level of taxi service and waiting time for wheelchair users and disabled passengers.

15.10 RESOLVED that a further report as minuted at 15.9 above be requested to 23 January ECSOSC and the Chair of Licensing Committee be invited to attend.