Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 October 2022 are attached for confirmation and signature as a current record.

The Chair proposed the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 October 2022 which were then seconded by Councillor Coburn. Councillor Farmer formally abstained from voting on the Minutes as he was absent from the meeting, Councillors Axam, Delaney, Engström and Forster also indicated that they would have to abstain as they had not attended the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 October 2022 were then signed as a correct record.

To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they will be absent.

Apologies had been received from Councillors Collins and Lamb.

Councillor Axam was a substitute for Councillor Collins and Councillor Engström was a substitute for Councillor Lamb.

To declare disclosable pecuniary, and any other, interests*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they may have an interest to declare.

Councillor Forster declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 5 due to being a Hampshire County Councillor.

There were no announcements.

The purpose of this report is for Licensing Committee to consider the proposed changes in the fees and charges for licensing services, including hackney carriage and private hire vehicles and operators.

RECOMMENDATION

Licensing Committee are recommended to

·       approve the proposed fees and charges for consultation as set out in Appendix 1,

·       agrees that should there be no objections to the fees and charges, or any objections are subsequently withdrawn, then the fees and charges set out in Appendix 1 are set,

·       note the statutory fees and charges as set out in Appendix 2.

The Regulatory Services Manager summarised the report, reminding the Committee: these are annual fees and are a mixture of statutory charges (appendix 2) and those that can be set by Hart District Council (Appendix 1); and that it was only the taxi fees and charges proposed that needed to be consulted on.

The Regulatory Services Manager highlighted that the fees relating to Private Hire vehicle and Hackney Carriage vehicle licenses were incorrectly published in 2022/23 Fees and Charges. The rate in 2021/22 was £250.00. The correct figure for 2022/23, adjusted to reflect inflation should have been £258.00. However, the actual figure quoted in the published fees and charges was £239.00

Members questioned:

·         The percentage increase in proposed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle fees for 2023/24, and that due to the error in the fees last year, the proposed increase is greater than 10%.

·         The proposed increase in fees and charges for Street Traders.

·         The length of the consultation period for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle fees and charges – this was confirmed as 28 days.

·         How the proposed fees and charges were linked into the Council’s proposed Budget for 2023/24.

·         If previous consultations on the Private Hire vehicle and Hackney Carriage fees and charges had influenced a final Budget in previous years.

·         How the error in the published version of last year’s Private Hire vehicle and Hackney Carriage vehicle licenses figures was made, who was responsible and what actions had been taken to prevent this reoccurring.

·         The cost of charges for Wheelchair Accessible vehicles, and if this fee was statutory or could be reduced or frozen.

The Regulatory Services Manager confirmed that Private Hire Vehicle and Hackney Carriage fees and charges are not statutory and are set by the individual Local Authority.

Members discussed version control of Council documents and reports and queried if a more formal process could be introduced for this. The Executive Director, Place reassured the Members that steps had already been taken to improve version control. 

Members also questioned:

·         The impact the proposed increase in charges and fees could have on the community, traders, taxi drivers and their families.

·         The differences between the taxi trade in Hart and Basingstoke and Deane and the incentives to work in both areas.

·         What calculations officers had made to determine the figures in the report for fees and charges – this was explained by the Executive Director, Place who referenced the current rate of inflation (as set out in the Cabinet papers of 2 February 2023). 

·         Whether any changes could be made to the non-statutory proposed fees and charges that the Council sets.

·         The use of electric vehicles (EV) as taxis and why these are not included in the report.

·         The Council’s declaration of a Climate Emergency, and if anything else should be included within the proposed Fees and Charges List to encourage the use of more electric vehicles.

The Shared Licensing Team Leader reminded Members that Hart taxis need to be less than three years old when  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.