The Government had published the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles Standards Report 2020 which provided statutory guidance to the Council on how it should function.  The report had been thoroughly reviewed and the main points and changes proposed were highlighted in Appendix A to the report.  The following salient points were noted:

•           development of common core minimum standards regarding reporting passenger incidents in hackney carriage and private hire vehicles;

•           the Council held a handbook that provided an overview of hackney carriage and private hire licensing, namely the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Handbook (March 2018).  It was proposed that the Council reviewed its licensing policies every five years, as well as interim reviews should significant issues arise.  It was therefore, proposed that the handbook be reviewed during the municipal year 2022/23;

•           performance should be reviewed annually. As well as reporting to the Rother and Wealden Shared Service Partnership Board, an annual report would be presented to the Licensing and General Purposes Committee;

•           a condition be imposed that required licensed drivers and operators to sign up, use and maintain their membership of the Disclosure and Barring Service update service from their first application and at their next renewal, as this benefited all;

•           public safety remained a high priority.  It was noted that the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Criminal Convictions Policy approved in 2019 was in-line with Local Government Association guidance and was slightly stricter than the guidance identified within the Department for Transport’s report;

•           safeguarding training would be introduced for all new drivers and existing drivers would be required to take a comprehensive Council approved training course, to ensure that they were properly aware of their responsibilities regarding passenger safety.  A minimal charge would apply to existing drivers with most of the costs borne by a grant from the Safer Rother Partnership.  Any drivers who did not undertake training would be referred to the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Panel; and

•           CCTV was currently permitted in the Council’s licensed vehicles, subject to conditions to control use and access to the data.  The guidance proposed that this should be mandatory.  Should this be agreed, a consultation exercise would need to be undertaken with all interested bodies.

Following discussion, Members were fully supportive of the recommendations proposed and agreed that failure to have in place and adhere to up-to-date policies and procedures could lead to severe reputational damage for the Council.

RESOLVED: That:

1)         the responses to the recommendations in this report at Appendix A be noted and that changes proposed to comply with the Standards are adopted and implemented;

2)         the Taxi Handbook is reviewed in 2022/23 and amended in line with the current guidance;

3)         it be made mandatory for drivers and operators to attend Council approved training on safeguarding and that this is refreshed when drivers’ licences are renewed;

4)         it be made a condition for our licensed drivers and operators to subscribe to and maintain their membership of the Disclosure and Barring Service update service; and

5)         the Licensing Authority consults on the merits of utilising CCTV within taxi and private hire vehicles with other interested bodies and the public.