Decision details

The Licensing Manager provided an overview of the report and background on the three main aspects of the report County Consultation on CCTV in taxi and private hire vehicles, the proposed change to driver medicals and to set up a T&F group to review the vehicle age policy and consider an emission-based policy in line with the Council Plan.

The Licensing Manager advised she had spoken with the Chair prior to Committee to include an additional item to consider as part of the decision which was to consider the request for a fare increase for taxi vehicles under the remit of the T&F group.

The Licensing Manager responded to Members questions with the following answers:

·         The County consultation would be separated by District in terms of responses and making a Stroud specific policy.

·         Medical cost through a GP was over £100 and a GP summary should be free. A medical through a private specialist company was around £60.

·         If Stroud chose to add CCTV as a requirement it would be mandatory for all and Stroud would become data controllers of the video data.

·         Currently there’s no County policy or guidance on age/emissions therefore an emissions policy would be Stroud specific if changed from vehicle age.

·         Potential and scope for County grant incentives for electric vehicles.

·         T&F group remit would include hybrid vehicles consideration as part of the consultation for a vehicle emissions policy

·         The Licensing Officer would compare the fare increase proposals from taxi traders with other districts to aid the T&F group for their considerations.

·         Currently a handful of electric cars and a slow increase of hybrid vehicles licensed as taxi traders.

The Chair, Councillor Brine asked Committee if they would be happy to accept a friendly amendment to amend point ‘c’ of the decision to include the consideration for a request for a fare increase for the taxi vehicles under the T&F group remit.

The friendly amendment and motion was proposed by Councillor Prenter and seconded by Councillor John Jones.

On being put to the vote, the Motion was carried unanimously.

Councillor John Jones, Prenter and Robinson were nominated for the T&F group.

RESOLVED:             a. To approve undertaking a public consultation on CCTV in taxi and

private hire vehicles as detailed in Appendix A, and;

b. To approve an amendment to the Council’s policy on driver medicals as laid out in paragraph 3.8 of this report, and;

c. To approve setting up a task and finish group to consider a draft vehicle emissions and consider a request for a fare increase for taxi vehicles.