Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Alexander, Arnott and Cosgrove.

A question had been received after the deadline. It was agreed that a response would be provided offline to the questioner.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 30^th November 2021 are attached for approval.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 30^th November 2021 be approved as a correct record.

The Committee gave consideration to a report of the Trading Standards and Licensing Manager which asked Members to discuss amendments to the Council’s Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy following of a request to pause and review certain elements of implementation.

It was noted that at the meeting held on the 30^th November 2021, Members made several policy changes to the Councils Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Policy in line with the work carried out and recommendations brought forward from the Greater Manchester Minimum Licensing Standards programme.

The ten vehicle standards that were considered as part of the programme at the above meeting were:

·         Wheelchair accessible purpose built hackney carriages

·         Vehicle ages

·         Vehicle emissions

·         Vehicle colour

·         Vehicle livery

·         Vehicle testing

·         CCTV

·         Executive Hire

·         Vehicle design and licensing requirements

·         Vehicle licence conditions

Members were informed that since that meeting, Officers had received further representations from trade representatives about the availability and costs associated with purchasing new or replacement vehicles. In addition, the GM clean air zone implementation planned for May 2022 had been paused to enable further plans to be tabled with Government by July 2022. As a result of the representations the Chief Executive, following a recommendation by the Leader and Chair of the Licensing Committee authorised a pause to the implementation of the vehicle standards pending further discussion at the next licensing committee.

Members were asked to agree the following policy decisions proposed by Officers:

·         Wheelchair accessible purpose built hackney carriages (WAV) - A mixed fleet of hackneys including adapted vehicles may continue to be licensed until 31.12.2029. Any change of vehicle must be to a vehicle that is emissions compliant. Thereafter vehicles must be all purpose built WAV’s. Existing WAV’s that have a condition on their licence that they must be wheelchair accessible must continue to comply with this condition.

·         Vehicle Age - New licence holders will comply with the GM standard of saloon vehicles being under 5 years of age and licensed until 10. Existing licensed vehicles may stay licensed until age 12 (14 for purpose built hackneys) In relation to the next vehicle change, the replacement of an existing licensed vehicle be extended so a vehicle maybe licensed up until 7 years of age and until 10 (15 for WAVs) The above are subject to any emissions transitional requirements which at present state that a non-emission compliant vehicle cannot be licensed beyond 31.12.2025.

·         Vehicles Emissions - All new to licence vehicles must be emission compliant to Euro 6 diesel, Euro 4 petrol or zero emission capable. Existing non-emission compliant vehicles have until 31.12.2025 to become compliant (within the age limits outlined above which may result in them ceasing being licensed earlier).

·         Vehicle Colour - Hackney saloon vehicles must be white and WAVs either white or manufacturers colour. Private hire vehicles may be any colour.

·         Vehicle Livery - Adopt the GM standard when introduced.

·         Vehicle testing - Already in place – no changes needed

·         CCTV - Await a further GM report on draft policy

·         Executive Hire  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.