Issue - meetings
Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing: Licence Fees and Charges Fees 2017/2018
Meeting: 04/12/2017 - Licensing Committee (Item 13)
13 Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing: Licence Fees and Charges Fees 2017/2018 PDF 102 KB
Additional documents:
- Appendix 1- Response to consultation on Taxi and Private Hire fees and charges for 2017, item 13 PDF 175 KB
- Appendix 1a - Response to consultation on Taxi and Private Hire fees and charges for 2017, item 13 PDF 47 KB View as HTML (13/3) 54 KB
- Appendix 2 - Driver and test Fees, item 13 PDF 3 MB
- Appendix 3 - PH Vehicle licence Maidstone Borough Council, item 13 PDF 730 KB
- Appendix 4 - Operator Fees, item 13 PDF 2 MB
Minutes:
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Housing and Community Services which related to Fees and Charges 2017/18 -Taxis and Private Hire.
In response to questions from Members, the Officer advised that:-
·
Hackney Carriage numbers were currently limited to
48 in the Maidstone Borough area. The
unmet demand survey conducted in 2015 recommended that
consideration be given to removing the cap on a number of hackney
vehicles in Maidstone and guidance suggested that there should not
be limits unless there was specific justification. A consultation with the trade would be carried out
shortly on this.
·
The knowledge test fee had been separated out from
the driver’s licence figures.
·
The fees and charges are calculated according to the
outlay of the Council and they are the best that can be
offered.
·
There was no room for manoeuvre as the figures had
been based on the efficiencies of the services gained already.
·
There had been higher charges on operators with
larger numbers of vehicles as suggested by the representation but
it had not been very helpful as in relation to enforcement larger
operators tended to take less time than operators who were
owner/drivers as they often failed to keep their own accurate
operator records.
·
In terms of drivers working outside the Borough,
there are implications but it was nothing that the Council could do
about it.
·
In terms of the age and mileage restrictions on
licensed vehicles in the policy, this would be reviewed separately,
particularly in terms of alternative fuels and would be linked with
the Low Emissions Strategy. A report
could be brought to the March meeting.
·
Some of the fees had reduced and this had been as a
result of
efficiencies, such as some activities being carried out
on-line.
RESOLVED:
1)
That the proposed fees and charges and associated
costs for licences in respect of hackney carriage drivers and
vehicles and private hire drivers, vehicles and operators, as set
out in paragraph 2.14 of the report of the Head of Housing and
Community Services, be approved after consideration being given to
the written objection received on 19 September 2017 in response to
the 28 day consultation and to be effective from 5 December
2017.
2)
That a report be produced by Officers to come to the
March meeting reviewing the Taxi Policy which would cover the age
and mileage restrictions and types of vehicles and alternative
fuels used and would link into the Low Emissions Strategy.
Voting: For: unanimous