Agenda item - Hackney Carriage / Private Hire Trade Ethnicity Monitoring

Report of the Head of Planning and Public Protection (copy attached)

18.1         The Committee considered a report of the Head of Planning and Public Protection setting out the results of the Ethnicity Monitoring of the Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Trade for 2011/12.

18.2    It was explained that all applications received by the Hackney carriage Office for licensing of vehicles and drivers were monitored for ethnic background and that the results of this monitoring were set out in appendix a, to the report. Ethnic monitoring was undertaken to ensure that the waiting list was maintained and operated in a fair and transparent way as recommended by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

18.3    Councillor Lepper referred to the data set out and stated that she was surprised that this career was not more attractive to working mothers as during the day it could work around child care responsibilities, the school run etc.

18.4    Councillor Shanks referred to the fact the data did not give full ethnicity information enquiring whether the Council could address under representation. It was confirmed that the monitoring information received was based on the responses received to specific questions set out and that the format used was being looked at currently. It was possible this might be amended in future. The Council had no control over who applied for licences and it should be noted that whilst there was no waiting list for drivers there was for vehicle licence plates.

18.5    The Legal Adviser to the Committee confirmed that the Licensing Authority’s policies were not discriminatory as they did not treat any individual or group unfavourably.

18.6    Councillor Gilbey stated that she thought that last report to Committee on this subject had contained more information than was currently available.

18.7    Councillor Hyde enquired regarding accuracy of the reference to the 2001 census data, it was confirmed that this was the most up to date published data available. Information contained by the 2011 status had yet to be published in its entirety.

18.8    RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the results of the Ethnicity Monitoring exercise for 2011/12.