Agenda item - Hackney Carriage & Private Hire Driver Enforcement and Monitoring

Report of the Executive Director, Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities (copy attached)

RESOLVED – (1) That Members approve the commission of an unmet demand survey to be undertaken during 2022; and

(2) For the purposes of 2.1 above, Members confirm their support for the current restricted numbers policy for hackney carriage vehicles with managed growth of five additional plates issues annually to wheelchair accessible vehicles or vehicles which are fully electric or plug in hybrid (PHEV). This policy will be reviewed following the outcome of the unmet demand survey.

16.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director of Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities in response to Members’ request for an update on action taken against Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers and Applicants between June 2021 and October 2021.

16.2    It was confirmed that in addition to day-to-day enforcement work, officers normally carried out weekly out of hours enforcement work, usually at weekends and on weekday evenings, details of the multi-agency exercise of licensed vehicles which had taken place in June were detailed in the report.

16.3    Councillor Hills enquired regarding the level of take up of the safeguarding training/update training which had taken place and it was confirmed that currently this stood at 86%.

16.4    Councillor Moonan expressed concern not only in respect of licenced drivers being involved in the transportation of passengers involved in the supply of Class A Drugs in the city. It was very important that robust arrangements were put into place to combat this serious problem.

16.5    Councillor Davis concurred stating that rigorous enforcement was a key element in combatting this. He was aware that council officers worked continuously with licensed drivers, the public, police and other enforcement agencies to address this issue.

16.6    Councillor Henry confirmed that he was aware that this issue had been discussed at length at Taxi Forum meetings where strategies to combat this problem had been discussed.

16.7    RESOLVED – That Members note the contents of the report and agree that officers should continue to act as appropriate.