Agenda item

To receive and consider the Proposed Increase to Hackney Carriage Fare Tariffs report.

The Committee received the Statutory Consultation on Increase to Hackney Carriage Fare Tariffs report which was set out in agenda pages 33-41.

Moira Fraser, Policy and Governance Officer presented the report.  Officers had received a request by the taxi trade to increase its tariffs, this request was supported by a petition from 31 members of the trade, as set out in the table contained in the report.

The petition pointed out that the last tariff rate rise was in 2010 and there had been a minor variation in 2014.  The changes proposed were as stated in the report and Members were asked to consider the proposal.  Members were reminded that the Committee could set a maximum tariff, there was opportunity for drivers to set lower tariffs if they wanted to.

Any changes would be subject to statutory consultation.  Moira Fraser explained that the proposed short period of consultation was to meet timescales for the March meeting of the Committee.  If objections were received the Committee would have consider them, and if not, the changes would be implemented.

During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:

·           Councillor Fishwick expressed concern that the proposed consultation period was only two weeks and proposed to extend it to 21 days;

·           The Chairman explained that this issue had been considered, however there was an issue with extending the consultation period, in that it would mean that this Committee would not be able to consider it before the end of this municipal year;

·           Moira Fraser confirmed that there was an issue in extending the consultation period and not being able to submit a report in time for the agenda publication for the meeting on 2 March.  There was also an issue with not being able to issue a notice for the newspaper any earlier;

·           Councillor Fishwick was concerned that 14 days was a short period for this consultation.  Moira Fraser stated that as well as the newspaper, the consultation was also advertised on the website and the trade was directly informed about it;

·           In response to a question Moira Fraser confirmed that the figures contained in the report had been proposed by the trade (not officers).  She added that the Committee could decide to propose different figures for consultation;

·           Councillor Burgess was in favour of the proposal, in view of the fact that there had not been a review since 2010 and it only brought tariffs in line with inflation;

·           Councillor Burgess asked how this proposed structure compared with other local authorities; 

·           Moira Fraser stated that comparisons were made on a two-mile journey and the tariffs were as follows:

o   Reading - £8

o   West Berkshire - £7.40

o   Bracknell - £6.50

o   Wokingham’s proposal was for £8.10

·           Councillor Fishwick emphasised that it was important to facilitate communication about the consultation, and he believed three weeks was necessary to enable people to take part;

·           Councillor Firmager asked if extending the consultation would mean entering the purdah period;

·           Sean O’Connor explained that although an effort was made to avoid consultations from taking place during purdah, there was nothing to  prevent consultations from taking place during this sensitive period before elections.  Luciane Bowker, Senior Democratic Services Specialist stated that it was the decision and not the consultation that would fall into the purdah period, Sean O’Connor explained that decisions could be taken during purdah;

·           The Chairman was of the opinion that extending the consultation period would not make much difference in terms of public participation;

·           Moira Fraser pointed out that the law stated that the new fees needed to come into effect within two months of the consultation closing.   If the consultation period was extended to 21 March, the new fees would have to come into effect by 21 May, and there was no other scheduled meeting before May;

·           Councillor Fishwick proposed postponing the 2 March meeting by one week;

·           Julia O’Brien stated that in her experience, no matter the length of the consultation period, very few responses were received in response to the advertisements;

·           The Chairman expressed concern that the proposal put Wokingham’s tariffs above the tariffs charged by neighbouring authorities;

·           Councillor Ferris stated that this depended upon when the other authorities had carried out their reviews;

·           Moira Fraser stated that West Berkshire had undertaken a consultation in November last year and Bracknell had undertaken a consultation in August last year.

After much consideration and a five minute adjournment, Members agreed to go to consultation on the proposal put forward by the trade.  Members asked that the period of consultation be extended by one week if it was possible to move the date of the next Licensing and Appeals Committee to 10 March, and to revert to two weeks if not.  Subsequently it was ascertained that it was not possible to move the date to 10 March.

In response to a question it was ascertained that the consultation would be carried out on the proposal as presented by the trade, including the changes in relation to timings of tariffs.

Councillor Soane raised concern over the proposal to operate different tariffs for special event days such as the Henley Regatta (page 36 paragraph 1.8).

Councillor Ferris stated that there was a historical issue during the Henley Regatta, with unfair competition from taxi drivers from other areas.

Upon being put to the vote most Members were in favour of the recommendation to go out to consultation on the trade’s proposals.

RESOLVED That:

1)     A statutory consultation be carried out on the proposed business case put forward by the trade, as stated in the report; and

2)     The consultation period be extended to three weeks, provided that the date for the next Committee is moved to 10 March, and that it reverts back to two weeks if this date can not be changed.

Subsequently, Neil Allen drew attention to the fact that the recommendation approved included in its proposal point 1.8, which mentioned tariffs for special events such as the Henley Regatta.  He pointed out that if no comments were received the proposal would be implemented as stated in the report, including point 1.8.

Members discussed the possibility of taking out the reference to the Henley Regatta from the consultation, but did not come to a consensus.

Councillor Dennis referred to page 39 of the agenda and stated that the trade was asking that WBC Council liaised with Henley Council about the different tariffs which were charged during the Henley Regatta.

Moira Fraser informed that South Oxfordshire, which is where the Henley drivers operated from, did not currently set maximum tariffs for their drivers.

Ed Shaylor explained that officers had taken the view that the trade had not put forward a business case to put up their tariffs during the Heley Regatta, they had simply pointed out that other drivers charged higher rates.

Councillor Firmager pointed out that it would be impossible to ascertain which journeys were to and from the Henely Regatta specifically.

In response to a question Neil Allen clarified that the mention of Henley in point 1.8 was aspirational only, and therefore he recommended it be included, as per the agreed recommendation, in the consultation.  Members were in agreement with this advice.