Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
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Meeting: 06/09/2021 - Babergh Cabinet (Item 47)

47 BCa/21/21 ADOPTION OF THE REVISED TABLE OF FARES FOR HACKNEY CARRIAGES pdf icon PDF 127 KB

Cabinet Member for Environment

Additional documents:

Decision:

It was RESOLVED: -

 

1.1          That Cabinet quashes the resolution made on the 4th of February 2021 to adopt the table of fares which were previously recommended by Licensing and Regulatory Committee.

1.2          That Cabinet following consideration of Licensing and Regulatory Committee’s recommendation, adopts the revised table of fares, attached at Appendix A to this report, and in accordance with Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, and set the date of 1 November 2021 for these to come into effect.

 

REASON FOR THE DECISION

 

To adopt the revised table of fares for Hackney Carriages within the Babergh District.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

 

Officers have undertaken the statutory public consultation exercise as instructed by the Licensing and Regulatory Committee at the meeting of 11 June 2021.  The Licensing and Regulatory Committee in accordance with the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 considered the two options set out below.

Option 1

That the Licensing and Regulatory Committee was minded that no change was necessary to the revised table of fares fixed for Hackney Carriages operating in the controlled zone of the Babergh District. 

Option 2

That the Licensing and Regulatory Committee was minded, to modify the revised table of fares fixed for Hackney Carriages operating in the controlled zone of the Babergh District. 

2.2      The Licensing and Regulatory Committee following consideration of the options above made the following recommendations to Cabinet that:

          (i)       Option 2 be approved, and the revised table of fares attached to this report as Appendix A, for Hackney Carriages within the controlled zone of the Babergh District be adopted; and

(ii)       once adopted the revised table of fares shall become effective on 1 November 2021

Any Declarations of Interests Declared: None

Any Dispensations Granted: None

Minutes:

47.1    The Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Malvisi, introduce paper BCa/21/21 and outlined past proceedings and how the current taxi fares had been determined.  She summarised the consultation and advised that no responses had been received from members of the public and that one response had been received from trade. The proposed taxi fares would come into force on the 1 November 2021 if approved.

 

47.2    Councillor Malvisi proposed the recommendation in the report, which was seconded by Councillor Arthey.

 

47.3    Councillor Osborne queried Appendix A and whether this was the maximum fare charges, which was confirmed by the Cabinet Member for Environment.

 

47.4    Councillors Holt and Arthey stated that lessons should be learnt from this process, however they fully supported the recommendations in the report.

 

47.5    Members debated the issues and Councillor Davis stated that he was delighted that the taxifares had returned to Cabinet after a consultation period.  He now fully endorsed the recommendations in the report.

 

47.6    Councillor Ward concurred with the comments made and thanked the Assistant Manager for Food, Safety and Licensing, Emma Richbell and the Licensing team for the work undertaken.

 

It was RESOLVED: -

 

1.1         That Cabinet quashed the resolution made on the 4th of February 2021 to adopt the table of fares which were previously recommended by Licensing and Regulatory Committee.

1.2          That Cabinet following consideration of Licensing and Regulatory Committee’s recommendation, adopted the revised table of fares, attached at Appendix A to this report, and in accordance with Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, and that the date of 1 November 2021 for these to come into effectbe approved.

REASON FOR DECISION

 

To adopt the revised table of fares for Hackney Carriages within the Babergh District.


Meeting: 16/08/2021 - Babergh Licensing and Regulatory Committee (Item 13)

13 BLR/21/6 HACKNEY CARRIAGE TABLE OF FARES REVIEW pdf icon PDF 233 KB

Report from the Licensing Team attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

13.1    Emma Richbell, Assistant Manager – Food, Safety and Licensing presented Paper BLR/21/6 to the Committee. The report advised the Committee of the response to the public consultation for the revised table of fares fixed for Hackney Carriages operating in the controlled zone of the Babergh District, which the Committee had approved for public consultation at its meeting on 11 June 2021.

 

13.2    Officers had undertaken the statutory public consultation exercise as instructed by the Committee at the meeting on 11 June 2021.

 

13.3    It was noted that one response had been received from the trade (Appendix C) and that Mr Hale was present at the meeting to answer any questions from Members if required.

 

13.4    A comparison table of journeys and rates was tabled at the meeting.

 

13.5    The Assistant Manager and Mr Hale responded to Members’ questions. During the discussion, Mr Hale confirmed that drivers were happy with the proposed increases.

 

13.6    Councillor Beer proposed that the recommendations contained in Paper BLR/21/6 be approved. Councillor Maybury seconded the proposal.

 

It was RECOMMENDED TO CABINET:

 

That, following consideration of Options 1 and 2 as detailed in the report, Option 1 be recommended to Cabinet on the revised table of fares attached as Appendix A:

(i)             That the revised table of fares be adopted, whether the Committee is minded to modify the table or not; and

(ii)           That the proposed table of fares is adopted in accordance with Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, and;

(iii)         To recommend a new date which is to be set for the varied table of fares to become effective no later than two months after the specified date of 1 November 2021.

 

 


Meeting: 11/06/2021 - Babergh Licensing and Regulatory Committee (Item 6)

6 BLR/21/2 HACKNEY CARRIAGE TABLE OF FARES REVIEW pdf icon PDF 235 KB

Report from the Licensing Team attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

6.1   Emma Richbell, Assistant Manager – Food, Safety and Licensing presented Paper BLR/21/2 to the Committee. The report referred to a review of the current table of fares fixed for hackney carriages operating in the controlled zone of Babergh District.

 

6.2   The Assistant Manager referred to issues with the previous proposals considered by the Committee and summarised the work undertaken to ensure that the current proposal was fit for purpose. The proposed draft table of fares was attached to the report as Appendix A.

 

6.3   The Assistant Manager advised the Committee of a change to Recommendation 3.2 – effective date to be amended from 18 October to 1st November 2021. She also amended the wording of Recommendation 3.2 to recommend to Cabinet that the table of fares be amended.

 

6.4   The Committee considered the two options set out in paragraph 2.1 of the report.

 

6.5   The Assistant Manager and the Licensing Officer responded to Members’ questions on the consultation process, responses to the consultation, concerns around equality issues, charges for larger vehicles, fare increases, and taxi vouchers.

 

6.6   Members noted that a report will come back to the Committee in August following public consultation and that the fares will be reviewed annually going forward.  

 

6.7   Councillor Maybury requested an amendment to the wording at the end of Appendix A to include ‘disability apparatus’.

 

6.8   Councillor Maybury proposed that Recommendation 3.2 (as amended) contained in Paper BLR/21/2 be approved. Councillor Ayres seconded the proposal.

 

6.9   The vote was taken electronically and was unanimous.

 

It was RESOLVED:-

 

That the Committee agrees to recommend to Cabinet that the table of fares be amended as per Appendix A (including agreed amended wording), and therefore instructs officers to proceed with the public consultation notice advertising the variations and in accordance with Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, the varied table of fares shall become effective from 1st November 2021.