Agenda and draft minutes

Present:

Chris Smith – Head of Public Protection - Chair

Ben Thomson – Assistant Director of Operations Strategy

Cllr. Charlotte Morris – Cllr. & Chair of Licensing and Safety Panel

Michael Bridge – License Unit Manager

Peter Eccleston – GMP Licensing Officer

Habib Ur-Rehman – GMB NW Rep for Private Hire

Matthew Freckleton – Cities Lead for Uber

Lisa Rapport – Uber representative

Harrison Kaye – Uber representative

Kirsty Wild – Magnum White line Operator

David Lawrie – Director of NPHTA

Muhammed Warraich - Private Hire Drivers Association

Sham Raja – NPHTA

Minutes: Lauren Willetts

1.

Apologies

Cllr Rizvi, Khalid Hussain

2.

Matters arising Agree minutes of previous meeting

All agreed minutes from the previous meeting.

3.

GMP Update

Since the 1^st May we have received 30 calls, few in relation to bilkings (making off without payment) and a few flagged up that are more serious. On the 1^st June there was a sexual assault by a taxi driver reported and on the 24^th May a taxi driver was assaulted by passengers. Drivers are starting to report more incidents. There has been an increase in calls where people have left their belongings in taxis, but taxi services are saying they don’t have them.

At Parklife taxis were coming from all over the place to get customers, we had shut off the roads around Heaton park. Taxi’s had parked up and were waiting on bury new road to pick up, this caused a huge back up of traffic and GMP were moving them along for around two hours. If you could please have word with your members and drivers that they are to use the designated drop off and pick-up areas.

MB asked PE for conversation regarding the sexual assault report. Also the Parklife feedback from council officers was to give praise to our drivers as they used the drop off/pick up areas, MB questioned if the taxis moved on were from bury or out of town? PE responded to say the majority were outside of bury.

MW questioned is the sexual assault from a bury driver? PE responded I have not delved into too much detail on the driver today, however I will share the information whether they are cross border or a Bury driver. MW added that for Parklife we publish detailed information on where drivers should go.

DL stated he is pleased to see the number of reports is rising, also shares the same view on knowing the area of the taxi driver in regarding to the sexual assault report. I have spoken to other area’s on how they use WhatsApp to communicate with taxi enforcement police officer, the answer was that the local authority provides them with a mobile solely for this purpose.

PE added that reports have been made of valuables being left in vehicles when unattended, if a message could please be sent round for drivers to take their valuables with them when leaving the taxi. We do make the relevant authority  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.