Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Protection, Streetscene and Communities (enclosed)

The Director of Public Protection, Streetscene and Community submitted a report for Members to consider the current Private Hire/Hackney Carriage vehicle inspection process, to determine any changes in policy, if any, relating to conditions of applications for the granting of Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Vehicle Taxi testing arrangements..

At the last meeting of the Committee, officers were asked to undertake a review of the testing provisions for Private Hire and Hackney Carriage vehicles that are licensed under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 within the Borough of Chorley.

To underpin the review, officers conducted a consultation process with all relevant stakeholders that included meeting with the owners of the Council’s appointed Taxi Testing stations, a questionnaire sent out to all Private Hire Operators and Private Hire and Hackney Carriage vehicle proprietor’s and discussions with the Licensing Liaison Panel. The Council also consulted with neighbouring authorities to establish how they conducted Taxi Testing.

The current arrangements were introduced in 2008. The adopted policy is designed to be proactive and Members noted that there had been a limited number of changes to existing practices. The inspection provides proprietor’s with helpful advice, information and guidance with regards to the suitability of a vehicle to become a private hire or hackney carriage vehicle, giving the opportunity for rectification of any issues before payment for formal testing is made. Since introduction of the policy, no vehicles have undergone the pre-inspection and failed the formal Taxi Test in regards to the Council’s conditions of licensing.

The Committee were informed that the garage proprietor’s had unanimously stated that they would not be interested to extending their services to include the pre-inspection of vehicles. It was also noted that the majority of responses to the questionnaire by the taxi trade were satisfied with the present service. Only a small number sought to change the way in which the Council test vehicles.

However there are currently some limitations to the existing process. Presently there is only one officer who is sufficiently experienced to carry out the vehicle pre-inspection. This is an unsatisfactory position for the trade and the Authority, as the possibility of vehicles being delayed entry to the taxi trade due to the officer being unavailable is inevitable and a number of different options to address this issue were contained within the report for Members consideration.

Councillors Adrian Lowe and Mike Handley left the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Hasina Khan, seconded by Councillor Mick Muncaster and subsequently RESOLVED (10:1) to retain the existing system and train further officers to conduct pre-inspection of vehicles.

Members also noted that he review had identified issues within the administrative processes for Private Hire Operators, Private Hire and Hackney Carriage vehicles and driver licences. The issues identified were in part due to recent changes in IT and service delivery functions.

Therefore it was also proposed by Councillor Hasina Khan, seconded by Councillor Mick Muncaster and subsequently RESOLVED (9:2) to approve a review of current administrative processes and policy documentation to identify and propose appropriate changes.