Issue - meetings

Report of the Interim Monitoring Officer/ Legal Services Manager attached.

The committee considered a report which proposed amending the Modified Vehicle policy following a period of consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

The Head of Licensing explained to members that the current policy requires the Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) testing of any modified vehicle on first presentation, thereafter a specialised modified vehicle test should occur. Members were advised that the IVA’s are a one off test which are only undertaken by a Driver Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) approved centre with the average waiting time around five or six weeks. The Head of Licensing explained that in order to pass the IVA, adaptions to the Wheel Chair Accessible (WAVs) were often removed prior to testing.

Members were advised that the proposal to remove the modified vehicle test requirement would also require the testing process to be streamlined. Under the current policy, only Lancashire County Council (LCC) test the vehicles. Discussion had taken place with the Council’s Moss Side Depot, who indicated that they could do a three part test which would include Road Worthiness, Modification and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) Certificate.

Members sought clarification on how testing at Moss Side would be completed and if this would require additional staff training. The Head of Licensing explained that the depot had indicated they would be prepared to invest in training and developing staff if the policy was to be amended.

RESOLVED: (Unanimously)

1.    The Licensing Service undertake a period of consultation, on the draft amendments to the existing policy, with the relevant stakeholders in respect of the proposed changes.

2.    The Committee will receive a report on the outcome of the consultation at a future meeting.