Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of the Vice-Chair Councillor Edward Smith and Councillors Pat Haughton, Catherine Hoyle, Thomas McGowan, Debra Platt, John Walker and Stella Walsh.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda. If the interest arises only as result of your membership of another public body or one to which you have been appointed by the Council then you only need to declare it if you intend to speak.

If the personal interest is a prejudicial interest, you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

No declarations of interest were received.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Licensing and Public Safety Committee held on 4 June 2008 (enclosed)

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting of the Licensing and Public Safety Committee held on 4 June 2008 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of Corporate Director (Governance) (enclosed)

The Committee received the Minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Liaison Panel held on 12 May 2008.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes be noted.

Report of Corporate Director (Governance) (enclosed)

The Committee received the Minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Liaison Panel held on 7 July 2008.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes be noted.

Report of Corporate Director (Governance)

The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director (Governance) on the various licences and permits issued, regulations effected and enforcement activity by the Licensing Section between 17 May 2008 and 1 September 2008.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Corporate Director (Governance) will report at the meeting.

The Corporate Director (Governance) requested the meeting to allocate Hackney Carriage Plate Number 9 following its return to the Council.

Eleven applications had been received for the plate for which seven met the agreed criteria in relation to the vehicle and the applicants/proprietors and therefore eligible to go into the draw.

The method of system of allocation was by tombola and it was AGREED that hackney carriage plate number nine be offered to Mr K Bungey and should he not accept it then it be offered to Mr A Saha.

Report of Corporate Director (Governance) (enclosed)

The Committee considered the report of the Corporate Director (Governance) outlining a request that had been made by the local Hackney Carriage Association for an increase in hackney carriage fees.

Hackney carriage fares were last increased in November 2007 and that since then there have been increases in fuel prices of 25% and accordingly an increase in the fares had been requested.

It is the responsibility of the Council to set hackney carriage fares, after having considered the request by the hackney carriage association.  Members considered a comparison chart of neighbouring authorities enclosed with the report.

RESOLVED – That the proposed increase in Hackney Carriage fares be agreed, subject to the necessary notice being advertised and no objectives being received.

The Corporate Director (Governance) to report at the meeting.

The Committee received a presentation from a representative from Transportation and Planning International Ltd who had been commissioned by the Council to carry out an independent survey to find whether there was any unmet demand for additional hackney carriage vehicle licences.

The Government had requested local authorities to establish whether there was any unmet demand for taxi services in their area and that consideration be given to an unmet demand survey.  Should a survey not be commissioned the Council would be exposed to a possible legal challenge in maintaining a limited Hackney Carriage fleet.

The representative from Transportation Planning International Ltd explained how the survey would be carried out in the Chorley area and obtain the views of both the hackney trade and from those who use hackney carriages.

A final report would be submitted to the Council with the results of all surveys, making recommendations on what the Council could do.

RESOLVED – That Transportation and Planning International Ltd be commissioned to carry out a survey.

Report of Corporate Director (Governance) (enclosed)

Further to Minute 08.LPS.06, 4 June 2008 the Committee received a report of the Corporate Director (Governance) on proposals to revise conditions for the purpose of licensing Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles to operate within the controlled district of Chorley.

The report indicated that Chorley Council was responsible to ensure that hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are suitable for use and that they meet conditions and road worthiness, suitable appearance and comfort.  The Council also had power to require those vehicles to be submitted for inspection and testing and to impose conditions on licences.

A number of meetings including a workshop had taken place between the Council and the taxi trade, as part of the consultation and development process for formulating the proposed conditions.

The last time the Council’s taxi licensing conditions were reviewed was in 1996 and it was now considered after that time for the conditions to be reviewed.

The Committee received representations from the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire trade and from their legal representatives, raising several issues in which they wished to have some of the conditions modified.

RESOLVED – 1) That the contents of the report and the representations made by Members of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire trade, who had been invited to the meeting be noted.

2)  That the Corporate Director (Governance) be requested to implement the new conditions with effect from 1 November 2008.

The Chair agreed to receive as an urgent item in view of the safety of the hackney carriage fleet in Chorley.

The Committee received information from the Chair that following a news report on the morning of the meeting, all TX4 taxis had been called in following seven blowing up in the London area.  The Committee received notification that the Chorley Council did not have any TX4 taxis licenced in the area.