Issue - meetings

Members discussed a report which presented the Review of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. The purpose of the report was to present a revised draft policy for Members to consider and amend as necessary. Officers would then undertake consultation with the trade and other relevant stakeholders.

The Department for Transport published its’ Statutory Standards for Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Vehicles in the summer of 2020 and the expectations of the Government were emphasised throughout the document in bold.

The Principal Licensing Officer responded to questions about the following areas of the proposed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy. 

DBS Update Service

·         All Licensed drivers were required to sign up to the DBS Update Services and maintain their registration throughout the licensed period. This had enabled the Council to undertake periodic checks at least every 6 months, in accordance with the Statutory Taxi and Private hire Vehicle Standards. 

·         Licensed drivers who had failed to register with the update service, or who had allowed their registration to lapse would have been required to provide a new enhanced certificate every six months

·         Where the Council were unable to check the drivers status due to failings on the part of the driver, it may suspend the driver’s license until such time as it is satisfied that there is no new information recorded against the driver

·         Licensed drivers would be required to inform the council within 48 hours of any arrests and release, charge or conviction of any sexual offence, any offence involving dishonesty or violence or any motoring offence.

·         If there had been any change to the information held by the DBS, the driver would be required to provide a new certificate to the council and register that once with the update service.

Members discussed if drivers had been signing up to the DBS Update Service, and were informed that the majority of drivers initially sign up for the update service, but in subsequent years had allowed their registration to lapse for various reasons. The DBS update service does issue reminders to drivers to renew their registration, but if the drivers contact details have change and they have not notified the DBS of the changes, they will not receive those reminders

English Proficiency

·         The Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Stands 202 had identified that a lack of language proficiency could impact the drivers ability to understand written documents such as policies  and guidance, relation to the protection of the children and vulnerable adults. Oral proficiency would also be relevant in the identification of potential exploitation through communication with passengers.

·         The Council were required that all applicants for new drivers licenses were required to demonstrate their language proficiency by providing evidence of formal qualifications such as GCSE, GCE, Functional Skills Level 1 or 2 in English or ESOL certificate at Level 1 or 2.

·         Applicants who did not hold any formal qualifications in English were required to undertake a free skills assessment provided by Blackburn Adult Learning services and provide  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4