Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Qureshi.

There were no disclosures of interest.       

To approve for signature the minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2012.

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2012 were submitted and signed.

Report of the Head of Environmental Services

This report asks the Committee to endorse the CTS report into taxi demand services

The Committee received a report of the Head of Environmental Services asking the Committee to endorse the report written by CTS into taxi demand services. The report considered whether there was significant unmet demand for taxi services in the Borough.

The Licensing Manager introduced the report and gave a presentation to the Committee including the background to the policy review. Joe Maclaren, Project Director at CTS, also made a presentation to the Committee. Mr Maclaren outlined the results of the survey and consultation responses.

The Licensing Manager advised that officers had received a letter of response from the Watford Hackney Carriage Drivers Association (WHCDA). Copies were circulated to the Committee and the Licensing Manager read out the letter. He noted that there was support for the option of a limit and an action plan from the WHCDA.

The Licensing Manager reported that if the Committee decided to introduce a limit that day it would be 304 Hackney Carriages as there were 301 licences and three applications pending. He advised that during the consultation a fixed limit was consulted on but not a limit which reduced when licences were surrendered or revoked. Only a very small number of licences were revoked or surrendered each year. It was proposed that a notification list be set up so that when a licence became available the first person on the list would be notified and invited to submit an application.

The Chair reminded the Committee that the action plan would be dealt with under the next item and invited questions.

A Councillor expressed his appreciation for the thorough report that CTS had provided.  He said that it showed that supply and demand for Hackney Carriages were out of balance. He noted that the statistics showed that there were 299 Hackney Carriages and the Licensing Manager had reported that there were 301 licences and three pending. The Licensing Manager responded that applications were received daily and the database had been unavailable when the report was printed.

In response to a question from the Councillor about the purpose of the notification list, the Licensing Manager said that this prevented people asking the Council regularly whether a vacancy had arisen and relieved the Council of the need to respond regularly.

The Councillor suggested an amendment to recommendation 2.3 to add clarity; he proposed that “in accordance with sections 3.29 and 3.30 of the officer’s report” be added to the end of the sentence.

The Councillor said that a fixed limit rather than a reducing limit undermined the purpose of the report. The Licensing Manager said that the consultation did not address the question of a reducing limit and without further consultation a limit which reduced as licences were revoked or surrendered could not be implemented.

A Member agreed and said that without a reducing limit the Council would be setting in stone an unsatisfactory situation. There was a third more Hackney Carriages than was necessary. He believed there should be a process which reduced the number  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

Report of the Head of Environmental Services

This report asks that officers implement the proposals in Action Plan.

The Committee received a report of the Head of Environmental Services outlining the proposed measures in the action plan.

The Licensing Manager introduced the report and described the consultation that had taken place. He introduced each of the twelve actions which were then discussed by the Committee for agreement. The officer reported that there was a typographical error in the report in recommendation 2.4, the word “less” should read “more”.

2. Upper age limits for Hackney Carriages

The Licensing Manager informed the Committee that the proposal was to introduce an upper age limit of 13 years for cars and 15 years for purpose-built London-style cabs. The drivers would prefer to see an upper age of 20 years but only 13 percent of vehicles were 10 years old or more. In London, the upper age limit was 15 years unless there were exceptional circumstances.

A Member noted that London Hackney Carriages did a lot more mileage than those in Watford and manufacturers’ standards had improved over the years.

A further Member said that as well as being mechanically sound, the quality of the interior for the passenger was also important.

The Chair expressed her view that 13 years was an appropriate upper age limit for cars but that London-style cabs were designed to take a lot of passengers and so 20 years would be an acceptable upper limit for these vehicles.

Another Member suggested that 15 years should be the upper limit for cars and 20 years should be the upper limit for London-style cabs.

A Member said he felt that notice should be taken of the upper limits in London where there was considerable expertise in setting limits. And the officers’ recommendation should stand.

The Chair noted that Watford Hackney Carriages were less used and were very expensive to purchase. Saloon cars deteriorated more quickly.

The Chair invited the Committee to vote on the following three options:

Option 1. An upper age limit of 13 years for saloon cars and 20 years for London-style cabs be introduced.

Option 2. An upper age limit of 13 years for saloon cars and 15 years for London-style cabs be introduced.

Option 3. An upper limit of 15 years for saloon cars and 20 years for London-style cabs be introduced.

On being put to the Committee Option 1, that an upper age limit of 13 years for saloon cars and 20 years for London-style cabs be introduced, was AGREED.

3. Review taxi fares

The Licensing Manager said that the proposal was to review fares at the end of 2012 and during 2014. The trade had suggested a minimum fare of £5. A debate over this would take place when the fares were reviewed.

A Councillor asked that when fares were reviewed that the question of minimum fares at night be included.

5. Review taxi rank provision

The Licensing Manager reported that a review had just been finished and if there was an opportunity to have a taxi rank in the new Charter Place  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.