Agenda item

To consider a report seeking approval for the adoption of the revised North Tyneside Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. 

A report was considered on the review of the North Tyneside Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy following an eight-week consultation on a draft policy.

The review of the Policy had taken into account the five principles of the North Tyneside Transport Strategy adopted by Cabinet on 8 May 2017, reflected the policies in the North Tyneside Local Plan and the recently adopted ‘An Ambition for North Tyneside – Regeneration Strategy’.

The consultation had included residents, local businesses, Elected Members and members of the trade.  89 responses to the consultation had been received and a summary of the responses were included in Appendix 2 to the report.  Taking into account the consultation responses the conclusions to all the questions asked were summarised at Appendix 3. 

The revised draft North Tyneside Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

The key points to note for the final proposed policy were:

·        The vehicle Standards had been updated to include the use of digital advertisements in vehicles and the permission of tinted windows where factory fitted as standard.

·        Driver Standards had been expanded to require drivers to sign up to the Disclosure and Barring Service Online Update Service.  This would give officers immediate access to a driver’s criminal record.  In addition, for some offences there had been an increase in time that a driver must be free from conviction before they could be licensed.

·        A new addition to the Policy was the introduction of a new licensing objective, which was to promote environmental sustainability.  This was particularly important following this Authority’s declaration of a Climate Emergency last year and the Authority’s aim to embed environmental sustainability in everything it did.  With this in mind the proposed Policy included for the first time, age standards for vehicles.

It was known from the responses received by the Authority to the consultation there were mixed views about the introduction of an age standard.  There were some concerns about the potential impact on the trade versus extremely strong support within the community for taking necessary action to tackle the climate emergency.  

The Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement explained that following the formal consultation the Authority had received further views which were being taken into account. Recognising that there were tough decisions to be made the Authority’s proposed approach sought to balance these differing views. 

It was recommended that the age standard would be implemented as planned. However, it was now proposed that the commencement date for new licensed vehicles should be extended by a year from April 2021 to April 2022, and for existing licensed vehicles from April 2023 to April 2024.  This would ensure that the Authority would have a North Tyneside licensed fleet that it was proud of, and one that contributed to the actions the Authority was taking to tackle the climate emergency.         

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendations set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendations and instruct officers to make amendments to the Policy and to bring a further report to Cabinet for it to consider those amendments.

Resolved that (1) the adoption of the revised North Tyneside Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy attached at Appendix 1 to the report be approved; and

(2) the Policy come into effect on 1 April 2020, save for the Age/Emissions standards commencement date for new licensed vehicles being extended by a year from April 2021 to April 2022, and for existing licensed vehicles from April 2023 to April 2024. 

(Reason for decision: to ensure that the existing Policy is updated in accordance with the commitment in the North Tyneside Transport Strategy and wider guidance. This will also ensure that the policy remains transparent, accountable, proportionate and consistent. Extending the commencement date of the age/emissions standards referred to above reflects the views received as part of the consultation, and further views received following the end of the consultation period, and the Authority’s commitment to tackling the climate emergency.)