Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Planning and Development.

1.         To note the contents of the report.

2.         To formally adopt the agreed proposal following the approval by the Licensing and Public Safety Committee on the 6 April 2022.

The Cabinet Member (Planning, Business Support and Regeneration), Councillor James Flannery presented the report of the Director of Planning and Development regarding changes to the Taxi Licensing policy regarding the Vehicle Age Policy and the Licensing of Hackney Carriage Vehicles. 

The matter had been considered by the Licensing and Public Safety Committee in December 2022 and April.  A consultation was undertaken for all options with the relevant stakeholders.

It was proposed by the Cabinet Member (Planning, Business Support and Regeneration), Councillor James Flannery, seconded by the Councillor Paul Wharton-Hardman, and subsequently

Resolved (unanimously)

1.         To note the contents of the report.

2.         To formally adopt the agreed proposal following the approval by the Licensing and Public Safety Committee on the 6 April 2022.

Age Policy - Option 4, with the exemption for vehicles that perform Special needs school contact work.

Option 4 Reduce all vehicles to 4 and 8 years. With an option of an extension for non-polluting vehicles that conform to a certain euro rating.

Reduce all vehicles to 4 years of age maximum when first licence and to be remain licensed until the vehicle is 8 years old, but, if the vehicle passes a set co2 emissions euro 6 rating an option for an extra 2 years older when first licensed (i.e up to 6 years old) and which can remain licensed until 12 years of age.

The Council will where appropriate, issue Hackney Carriage Licences to vehicles which;

Vehicles which have been continuously licensed by South Ribble, will no longer be eligible for renewal once pass the following ages;

Licensing of Hackney Carriage Vehicles - The grandfather rights policy to be replaced with a capped policy, to initially 100 vehicles with the delegated power to increase that number given to officers to set as the market demands through evidence of significant unmet demand from the public.

Both policies to be adopted for 3 years until 2025.

Both policies to be part of an ongoing programme of review reported back to committee every 12 months, with a proposed date of June 2023. This update to include the availability to drivers for electric and hybrid vehicles and if the number of vehicles licenced by the authority were compliant with the council’s section 165 of equalities act 2010 duties.