Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Sandra Barr.

Councillor Chris Howells declared a personal interest in Item 3 – Review of Hackney Carriage Limit, as he was a Taxi Driver licensed by Transport for London.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 13 July 2023.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 13 July 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider the report by Licensed Vehicle Surveys and Assessment (LVSA), in relation to unmet demand for hackney carriage and rank provision, and to review the Council’s current policy of limiting Hackney Carriage Vehicle (HCV) licence numbers.

The Environmental Health Commercial & Licensing Manager presented a report from the Licensed Vehicle Surveys and Assessment (LVSA) in relation to unmet demand for hackney carriage and rank provision in the Borough.  In the light of this report, the Committee was requested to review the Council’s current policy of limiting Hackney Carriage Vehicle (HCV) licence numbers.

The Environmental Health Commercial & Licensing Manager advised that the Council currently restricted the number of hackney carriage vehicle licences issued at any one time to 100.  At a meeting between the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee and the Commercial and Licensing Manager in October 2022, it was agreed that an unmet demand survey be undertaken in order to inform Members regarding future policy on the limitation of hackney carriage licence numbers.  Following this, officers commissioned an independent consultant, Licensed Vehicle Surveys and Assessment (LVSA), to carry out this work, which was completed between November 2022 and February 2023.  The consultant’s report was attached as Appendix A to the officer report.

The Environmental Health Commercial & Licensing Manager outlined the main findings of the consultant’s report as follows:

·         There was no evidence of any unmet demand in the Stevenage area which was significant and required the issue of any further standard hackney carriage licences at the present time.

·         There had been an estimated 44% overall reduction in passenger numbers since the last survey in 2017.

·         While app-based providers appear to have gained market share, there was also clear evidence that the hackney carriage trade appeared to have remained relatively resilient, in contrast to the decline in private hire vehicle numbers.

·         There remained a need for a central area rank.

·         Comparing the latest national rail usage to the estimated rank passenger departures suggested 10% of all rail arrivals at Stevenage station departed using hackney carriages from the rank there.  Compared to the previous survey, rail passenger numbers were down 30%, whereas for the same period rank passengers were down 36%, a relatively similar figure.

·         Despite this, the issue of poor service to these customers remained at the train station rank.  The rank was privately operated by Great Northern Railways and they permitted hackney carriages/taxis to ply for hire.  There was a monthly fee licensed drivers paid to access the rank.  It was at this rank that unmet demand was seen.

The Environmental Health Commercial & Licensing Manager stated that the consultant’s report recommended:

·         There was a need to identify a new town centre rank and encourage its use.  This needed work between the trade, the Council, Highways Authority and the shopping centre to work out ways that appropriate signing and advertising could be undertaken.

·         The issue of poor service to a small number of vulnerable people requiring accessible vehicles must be dealt with to enable them to travel safely and appropriately – this mainly related to ensuring the good provision in the hackney carriage fleet could be accessed by those preferring to book vehicles in advance.

·         The option of a demonstration day for wheelchair and other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

None.

To consider the following motions –

1.          That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.          That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Not required.

To consider any Part II items accepted by the Chair as urgent.

None.