Issue - meetings

Licensing Committee recommend to Full Council that:

      i)        The licensing process for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers continue to permit 1-year and 3-year licence applications.

     ii)        That the procedural change to medical certification requirements that will allow drivers the option to apply for a 3-year licence at each renewal be noted.

   iii)        Subject to i) and ii), the timescale for the introduction of the procedural changes be implemented as agreed by the Assistant Director Environment and the Chair of the Licensing Committee to allow administrative and software adjustments to be made.

Proposed by Councillor Nick Churchill and seconded by Councillor Clive Souter.

RESOLVED that the following be approved,

i)             The licensing process for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers continue to permit 1-year and 3-year licence applications.

ii)             That the procedural change to medical certification requirements that will allow drivers the option to apply for a 3-year licence at each renewal be noted.

iii)           Subject to i) and ii), the timescale for the introduction of the procedural changes and the introduction of English Language Proficiency Assessments for Taxi and Private Hire Drivers, be implemented as agreed by the Assistant Director Environment and the Chair of the Licensing Committee to allow administrative and software adjustments to be made.

The Committee received a report on the introduction of an English language proficiency assessment for taxi and private hire drivers.

It was agreed that recommendation A would be amended to ensure that a full Equality Impact Assessment was completed prior to recommendation to Full Council.

RESOLVED that:

A     The Licensing Committee recommends, subject to a full Equality Impact Assessment, to Full Council that new applicants for hackney carriage and private hire drivers’ licenses be required to complete an English Language Proficiency test or to show suitable qualification in the use of English.

B     Qualifications set out in Appendix A are to be updated from time to time by the Licensing team and are to be deemed suitable for the purposes of recommendation A.

C     Existing Licensed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers shall not routinely be subject to English Language Proficiency assessment. However, authority shall be delegated to the Assistant Director Environment to require any driver to attend English Language Proficiency assessment should it appear necessary whether due to any complaint or otherwise.

D     The English Language Proficiency assessment provided by Green Penny as set out at paragraphs 8 to 18 of the report be deemed suitable for the purposes of recommendation A: other assessment tests may be deemed suitable by the Licensing team on consultation with representatives of the licensed trades.