Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Allen, Serluca and Davidson.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 2013 were approved as a true and accurate record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2013 were approved as a true and accurate record.

         The Committee received a report which followed on from its decision at the meeting held on 21 January 2013.

         A full consultation had been launched in relation to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy in order to ensure that it remained appropriate and fit for purpose.

         The purpose of the consultation was to seek responses from all stakeholders who had an interest in or may have been affected by the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy.

         The consultation covered many areas of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing, but for the purposes of the report the Licensing Committee was asked to consider only vehicle testing for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles. Therefore only responses relating to that area were included. The other areas of consultation were to be included in further reports to the Committee at a later date.

         The Committee was requested to approve one of the following options:

1.    To introduce the requirement to have a standard MOT test carried out by any VOSA authorised MOT testing stations instead of the existing requirement for an MOT exemption test to be carried out by the Council’s contracted test centre;

2.    To introduce the requirement to have a standard MOT test carried out by only VOSA authorised MOT testing stations, which were members of the Council’s “vehicle testing centre scheme” (at the time yet to be implemented) instead of the existing requirement for an MOT exemption test to be carried out by the Council’s contracted test centre; or

3.    To retain the current requirement to have an MOT exemption test carried out by the Council’s contracted test centre and utilise the contract framework already in place with Amey (formerly known as Enterprise).

         The Licensing Manager presented the report. Key points highlighted included:

·         An annual MOT exemption test was currently carried out by Enterprise or Unity;

·         Vehicles currently over six years of age needed to be tested every six months;

·         The Police had put in a representation against Option 1 as this would dissolve the Council of any responsibility for testing. No representations had been made in favour of Option 1; and

·         One drawback of Option 2 was that there would still be administrative costs relating to the tests. The previous secretary of the Hackney Carriage Federation had stated his support for Option 2.

Members questioned the Licensing Manager and responses included:

·         There were currently five officers answering phones and processing applications. They spent roughly half of their work time on the telephone;

·         As the consultation had been undertaken almost a year ago, there had been meetings with Amey (formally Enterprise) who had stated that they would look at increasing testing availability. They would also arrange plate fittings;

·         There were roughly 180 Hackney Carriages in Peterborough and 635 annual tests had been carried out in 2013 and 250 six month tests had been carried out;

·         If Option 2 was implemented, it would be the trade’s choice as to whether or not to utilise Amey; and

·         Option 2 would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.