Agenda and minutes

Venue: This meeting will be held remotely. The meeting can be viewed live by pasting this link into your browser: https://youtu.be/my8cg5MumRs

Contact: Carolyn Sinclair  Email: carolyn.sinclair@coventry.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

74.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

75.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 216 KB

To agree the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 2 March 2021

Minutes:

The minutes of the Committee meeting held on 2 March 2021 were agreed as a true record.

76.

Exclusion of Press and Public

To consider whether to exclude the press and public for the items of private business for the reasons shown in the reports.

Minutes:

77.

Outstanding Issues Report

There are no outstanding issues to report.

Minutes:

There were no outstanding issues.

78.

Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards pdf icon PDF 475 KB

Report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services which provided information on the recommendations made by the Department for Transports “Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards”, and how these recommendations would impact Coventry City Council’s Taxi Licensing processes.

 

The report had been considered by the Cabinet Member for City Services on the 14 April 2021 who had approved a 12-week public consultation on the amendments required to the existing City Council Taxi Licensing requirements to bring them in-line with the new standards.

 

The Department for Transport (DfT) published its ‘Statutory Taxi & Private Hire Vehicle Standards’ on 21st July 2020. The recommendations in the DfT report were designed to regulate better the taxi and private hire vehicle sector through the development of a national set of core common minimum standards.

 

Published by the Secretary of State for Transport under section 177(1) of the Policing and Crime Act 2017 the document set out a framework of policies that any licensing authority in England and Wales “must have regard” to when exercising their functions.

 

Standards detailed in this document replace previous 2010 Best Practice Guidance issued by the DfT and were expected to be implemented unless there was a compelling local reason not to. Failure to adhere to the standards without significant justification was described as likely to be detrimental to the Councils’ defence of any legal challenge in relation to its contents.

 

Some of the standards highlighted in the DfT document were already covered in Coventry’s current processes and the report highlighted the recommendations that would require amendment to current policy and practice.

 

RESOLVED that the Committee note the contents of the report.

79.

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved

Minutes:

There were no other items of public business.

80.

Applications for the Grant/Suitability to hold Hackney Carriage & Private Hire Drivers' Licences

Reports of the Director of Street Scene & Regulatory Service on the following:

(Listing Officer: Mick Coggins – tel: 024 7697 1998)

Minutes:

RESOLVED that, having considered the circumstances set out in the report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services now submitted, the application for the grant of a Hackney Carriage Driver’s Licence be refused.

 

(Note: The applicant and his representative were present at the remote meeting)

81.

Any other items of private business which the Chair decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved

Minutes: