Agenda item

A report from the Executive Director (Operations) is attached.

The Executive Director (Operations) submitted a report relating to representation received from the Private Hire Drivers Association in relation to the recently advertised proposed increase to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle licence fees and Private Hire Operator License fees.

The Head of Public Protection outlined the report to the committee.

The Committee was informed that in February 2023, Full Council approved increases in fees and charges for 2023/2024. The proposed increase was detailed in the report attached to the agenda packs and should have come into operation on the 4^th May 2023.

The total cost of the Taxi Licensing Service for the financial year 2022/23 was

£372,000 and the total income received by the service was £327,000. This

resulted in an under recovery of costs to the value of £45,000. The licensing

service continue to work with the finance department to develop a full cost

recovery model.

In addition, the cost of operating the service will increase in 2023/24 due to

inflation therefore Council fees and charges need to be increased.

Each licensing authority considers their own fees and charges in line with the

costs of operating their own service and the income received. It should be noted

that Wolverhampton have significantly more vehicles licenses than Bury (in the

region of 20,000) therefore a direct comparison cannot be made.

Wolverhampton’s current related fees were included in Appendix 1 of the report.

Members were reminded that this matter was previously considered at the last meeting on the 8^th June 2023. The Assistant Director of Operations Strategy and the Licensing UnitManager outlined the report and the options available to the members contained within the report. Members considered the content of the report and resolved to defer the consideration of the report until this meeting and Members requested that the following questions were answered.

Why have we put charges up by the amounts we have?? 

A council wide review of fees and charges took place across a number of service areas. Examples include, but are not limited to, replacement bins, Leisure Membership, Market Rents, Licensing administration costs.  The review was undertaken by the Head of Commercial Services in conjunction with Finance and the proposed increases in fees and charges were considered by Full Council in February 2023.

The review considered the levels of fees and charges across other Greater Manchester Authorities to ensure any proposed increases were in line. The Licensing Service has since collated the current (July 2023) fees and charges that relate to this report from other GM Licensing Authorities and attached at Appendix 1. Due to variations of how each Local Authority sets and structures their fees, a direct like for like comparison is not able to be achieved, but the attached shows the fees for Bury are broadly in line with other authorities.

The decision noted at Full Council in February 2023 was:

“At the invitation of the Mayor, Councillor Gold, Cabinet Member for Finance and Communities, made a statement on the Budget for 2023/24. (i) It was moved by Councillor Gold and seconded by Councillor O’Brien that the recommendations contained in Minute CA.126 of the Cabinet meeting held on 15th February 2023 be approves and adopt the budget for 2023/24”

The review of all fees and charges for the financial year 2023/2024 ensured that any increase covered the cost of inflation. The increase in fees and charges ranged from 5% to 15%. The proposed increase covered in this report, namely, Hackney Carriage /Private Hire Driver licences and Private Hire Operator licences were set at a 10% increase and then rounded down. This increase is in line with inflation which in February 2023 was just over 10%.

What additional income will it bring in this year as a result or the new fees?? 

The Licensing Service have reviewed the Council’s Database and have identified the number of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licences and Private Hire Operators Licences that are due to expire between the 9 June 2023 and 31 March 2024.

If the above proposed fees and charges are approved and implemented on 20July 2023, the total additional income that will be achieved from vehicle and private hire operator fees in 2023/24 will be £13,180.

Equality Impact Assessment (EIA)

The Licensing Service have conducted an EIA. The assessment concluded that the proposed Hackney Carriage / Private Hire Vehicles and Private Hire Operators fee increase did not require any amendments to address equality impacts and therefore the Licensing Authority has fulfilled its duties under Equalities Act 2010. The Licensing Authority will continue to monitor the impact of policies on different groups to assess impact on any aspect of protected equality characteristics. A copy of the EIA was attached in Appendix 2 of the report.

Members were requested to consider the objection from the Private Hire Drivers Association and to determine if the proposed fees are to be applied.

Councillor Rydeheard placed on record his thanks to Officers for providing the information requested at the last meeting and including in the report.

Members commented and asked a number of questions to Officer present at the meeting.

How many vehicles registered with the City of Wolverhampton were trading in Bury? The Licensing Unit Manager provided an explanation of how this issue arose via changes made by central Government and to provide the numbers he would have to contact each individual operator. The Member reported he had undertaken some research and estimated that 4,000 Wolverhampton vehicles may be working across Greater Manchester.

Are two testing stations required? It was reported that it was a fairly even split between both stations for vehicles which the trade seems to like.

Delegated decision:

That the Licensing and Safety Committee approved the advertised fees without modifications.

Councillors Rydeheard and Hussain requested their vote against the approval be recorded in the minutes.