Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Jane Kingman and Councillor Elvis Stooke.

None disclosed.

Minutes of the meeting held on 9 May 2025 were proposed, seconded and agreed subject to the following amendment…………

To provide the Committee with an update following the implementation of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy as requested on 20 December 2024.

Decision

That the Licensing Committee:

1.     Notes the report and the impact of the implementation of the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.

2.     Agrees to have a workshop to collect evidence from taxi companies and licence holders on the introduction of the Policy changes and seek suggestions for further amendments.

The Licensing Manager presented the report which provided the Committee with an update following the implementation of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy which had been requested at the December 2024 meeting of the Committee.

The Department for Transport (DfT) had issued updated Taxi and Private Hire guidance in November 2023.  The Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy had been reviewed and updated accordingly and approved by Council on 23 May 2024.

Notification had been issued to all licence holders outlining the main changes to the policy prior to its scheduled implementation date.  Paragraph 2.2 of the report reflected the main feedback received at that time.  A response to the points raised had been considered by a meeting of the Licensing Committee on 28 June 2024 where three drivers had attended the meeting to outline their concerns.

A further update was provided to Committee in December 2024 due to the continued concerns expressed by some drivers regarding fees and a driver approaching the media about the English test.  The Committee had agreed to receive a further update at this meeting.

Recently concern had been expressed by some drivers regarding cross-border licensing and the potential impact on both businesses and potentially cheaper/less regulated or checks required by other Licensing Authorities as there was no national taxi policy or charging regime.

The report included a table showing the yearly averages for the number of licensed Drivers, Vehicles and Operators within South Kesteven.  The average (April and May) figures had been included from 2025.

The Licensing Ream did not have discretion to deviate from the approved Policy.  The Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy makes definite statements, known as “bright lines” it can not fetter a Licensing Committee’s discretion when making an individual determination.

Licensing authorities could depart from their own policy where they considered there were exceptional circumstances which warranted the departure.  Since the current policy was implemented the Licensing Committee had determined the following:

·       Two wheelchair accessible vehicles not meeting the Euro 6 standard

·       One driver not wishing to take the driver proficiency test

·       One driver failed the English proficiency test due to a medical impairment

A further update to the report presented in December 2024 taking into account the new policy requirements from 1 August 2024 on renewing drivers showed the following:

·       Two renewal drivers had failed the driver proficiency test (both had not renewed their licences)

·       One renewal driver had failed the English language test (passed on the second attempt) of the six that had undertaken the test since January 2025

·       35 drivers renewed their badge

·       16 drivers had not renewed

·       Seven new drivers had applied and had been issued licences.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

None.

The meeting closed at 10:26am.