Agenda item - Taxi Marshals

Report of the Director of Environment (copy attached).

22.1    The Committee considered a report from the Director of Environment regarding Taxi Marshals.

22.2    The Licensing Manager summarised the report and stated that the scheme had been given approval by the Taxi Forum following a very successful pilot programme over the New Year period. Funding had been received from the Home Office and the scheme was being carried out as part of Operation Marble. All stakeholders were so far very pleased with the outcome and the costs of £12,000 had been agreed to be split between hackney carriage vehicle licence holders which would put an additional cost of £23 per year per hackney carriage licence holder.

22.3    Councillor West complemented the scheme and noted the significant cost efficiency gains achieved. He noted that the police were complementary about the scheme and was pleased to see the Licence Fee had not been increased. He urged Committee Members to approve the recommendations.

22.4    Councillor Hawkes echoed these sentiments and felt that the scheme alleviated safety worries for young people out at night.

22.5    Councillor Harmer-Strange asked if there was any information on statistics for crime associated with taxi queues. The Head of Environmental Health and Licensing, Mr Nichols, replied that there were no accurate figures relating to this. He noted that it was often difficult to establish the cause of crime in the vicinity of a taxi queue, however noted that public place crime had reduced over the past 10 years in the city centre. He believed that a range of measures including a robust enforcement regime, Operation Marble and other such schemes improved the quality of life for residents and reduced the fear of crime.

22.6    Councillor Mrs Theobald asked how many Taxi Marshals had been employed and where were they stationed. Mr Nichols replied that four Marshals were available at any one time concentrated on three ranks in the city centre. The Inspector in charge of Operation Marble on any given night was responsible for deploying the Marshals appropriately.

22.7    RESOLVED -

1.         That the committee approves a hackney carriage vehicle fee of £203 including a £23 supplement to fund taxi marshalling.

2.         That the Director of Environment is authorised to arrange necessary publication notices.