Agenda item - Public Involvement

To consider the following matters raised by members of the public:

(a)      Petitions: to receive any petitions presented to the full council or at the meeting itself;

(b)      Written Questions: to receive any questions submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 23 November 2018;

(c)      Deputations: to receive any deputations submitted by the due date of 12 noon on the 23 November 2018.

12(a)   Petitions

12.1    There were none.

12(b)   Written Questions

12.2    One written question had been notified by Ms V Paynter. It was noted that this had previously been asked at the meeting of Full Council held on 18 October but at the Chair’s discretion Ms Paynter was invited to ask her question again.

            Ms Paynter put the following question:

            “A serious loss of the most frequently specified type of taxi needed by passengers has arisen because of taxi licensing policies that prioritise wheelchair vehicles. To what extent are the Council aware of the damage this has caused the trade and to disenfranchised people needing saloon car access?”

12.3    The Chair, Councillor O’Quinn responded in the following terms:

            “The Committee recognises the importance of having a mixed fleet which includes the provision of wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV’s). As part of our 3 yearly review of the Taxi Handbook (Blue Book). We have commissioned an Unmet Demand Survey, which among other things, looks at the types of vehicles that make up the taxi fleet, including the number of WAVs as a proportion of the overall fleet. The Unmet Demand Survey has been completed by independent consultants and the report submitted by officers is to be found at Item 15 on the agenda. There will be a presentation by representatives on behalf of the independent consultants following which the Committee will give consideration to whether any changes are required to the current taxi policy.”

12.4    Ms Paynter was invited to put a supplementary question. Ms Paynter referred to her own experiences and her concern that----

12.5    In responding the Chair stated that Ms Payter’s concerns although they had not been put in the form of a question were noted re-iterating that the Committee would determine whether or not the current policy required amendment when they considered the findings of the Unmet Demand Survey and the accompanying Officer report at the appropriate point on the agenda.

12.6    RESOLVED – That the Public Question and the Chair’s response to it be noted.

12(c)   Deputations

12.7    There were none.