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Agenda item
TAXI AND GENERAL LICENSING / REGISTRATION / PERMIT FEES - 2018/19
Minutes:
The Licensing Manager presented
the report, which recommended general licensing/registration/permit fees for
the next financial year, in order to recover reasonable costs of providing the
service, and sought the views of Members prior to presentation to Council. The report also sought a referral from the
Committee to ask Council to note that in accordance with the existing powers
contained in the terms of reference for the Taxi and General Committee, in
future years the decisions in respect of fees which are set locally will be
made by the Committee without further reference to Council.
Officers outlined the Authority’s
statutory duty to administer certain licenses, registrations and permits. The review of fees charged involves
consideration of the cost to the Authority in providing the service. Some fees are set centrally by government,
some permits for matters such as street collections are free of charge, and the
remaining fees can be determined locally in order to recover the cost of
providing that particular service. All
locally set fees are renewed annually to recover reasonable costs of providing
the service, and the report recommended changes where appropriate for a number
of general fees such as Animal Premises and Hackney Carriage and Private Hire
Drivers licenses.
Following a number of High Court
cases regarding the setting of licensing fees, the Local Government Association
has issued guidance to local authorities (updated November 2015). The underlying principle in setting fees is that
the Council must not use fees to make a profit or which act as an economic
deterrent to deter certain business types from operating in an area. Charges must be reasonable and proportionate
to the cost of the processes associated with the licensing regime.
A fee calculator toolkit
(devised by the All-Wales Licensing Expert Panel and approved by the Directors
of Public Protection in Wales) is used by Caerphilly Council to determine such
fees. The fee review process for 18/19
indicated that some current fee levels are not meeting the cost of providing
the service, for example Pet Shop licences, Riding Establishments, Boarding
Establishments, Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle licences and Taxi
driver licences. It was therefore
proposed that these be increased accordingly for 2018/19 in an effort to cover
costs, with details of the existing fees and the proposed fees set out at
Appendix 1 of the report. Across other
areas, improved cost information and streamlining of processes has resulted in costs
remaining static or reducing.
The Committee were referred to
the proposed fee increases in respect of Taxi Vehicle and Driver Licenses,
which recommended an increase of £16 for a 3 year driver’s licence and a £7 increase for a one year vehicle
licence. The proposed fees fall short of
full recovery but are believed to be a realistic increase in the current
climate. It was explained that the
current fee levels are not meeting the costs of providing the service, but that
full deficit recovery would require increases of £41 for a 3 year driver
licence and £32 for an annual vehicle licence, which would have considerable
impact on the trade in the current economic climate. The deficit can be attributed to the large
reduction in the number of licences over the last 2 years following the
implementation of the Council’s Intended Use policy, as well as the impact of
the Deregulation Act 2015 in increasing the duration of driver licences from 2
years to 3 years. Members were reminded
that there was no increase in Driver and Vehicle fees in 2017/2018.
Additionally, Members were asked to
note a proposed reduction across license fees in respect of tattooing/piercing
(from £140 to £87). Around 25 to 30 of
the registrations received each year relate to students training at local
colleges, and so the fees in respect of personal licences have been revised
following a review of time monitoring, streamlining of processes and economies
of scale due to the increase in applications.
The fees for premises licences for tattooing/piercing have undergone a
similar review and were proposed to be maintained at their existing level
(£178). The Committee were also
reminded that fees for new and renewal Civil Marriages applications had recently
been standardised following the decision of the Taxi and General Committee on
20th April 2018, and were included at Appendix 1 for Members’ information.
During the course of the ensuing
debate, a Member referred to the proposed level of increase across Taxi Vehicle
and Driver Licenses and queried whether it would be feasible to raise these by
another £1-£2 in a effort to recoup costs.
Another Member expressed their reluctance to support any increase for
Taxi Vehicle and Driver Licenses, given the increase in
other running costs such as fuel
and insurance. Reference was also made
to the proposed reduction in the personal license fee for tattooing/piercing
and a Member suggested that this should be re-examined in view of the Council’s
need to achieve significant savings in the coming years.
Officers reiterated that the
Council is unable to use fees to make a profit and that a balance needs to be
achieved between recouping a reasonable level of costs and taking into account
the affordability for licensees in the current economic climate. It was explained that the Council must be
able to justify the level of fees set and so a reasonable level has been
proposed following the fee review process and utilisation of the fee calculator
toolkit. Members were also reminded of
their ability to recommend a different level of fees if they were minded to do
so.
In response to a query on the
consultation process in respect of the proposed fees for hackney
carriage/private hire vehicles, Officers explained that a meeting had been held
with the trade earlier in the year which included proposed changes to
tariffs. Subject to ratification by
Council, the proposed fees for vehicles for 2018/19 would be advertised and
that the Taxi and General Committee would be given delegated powers to consider
any objections received and to determine the fees to be charged and the date on
which any variations should come into effect.
Members noted that a report would be presented to the Committee on 21st
June 2018 in respect of hackney carriage fare tariffs.
Discussion also took place
regarding the duration of vehicle driver licences and the impact on Licensing
income levels. A Member requested
further information on the percentage of drivers with 1 year and 3 year
licences and Officers confirmed they would arrange for this to be provided
following the meeting.
Having fully considered the
report, it was moved and seconded that the following recommendation be
supported and forwarded to Council for approval. By a show of hands (and in noting there was 1
against with 1 abstention), this was agreed by the majority present.
RECOMMENDED to Council that the
level of fees proposed for 2018/19 (as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report) be
approved.
It was moved and seconded that
the remaining recommendations be supported and forwarded to Council for
approval. By a show of hands this was
unanimously agreed.
RECOMMENDED to
Council that:-
(i) The proposed fees
for hackney carriage/private hire vehicle licences for 2018/19 be advertised and
the Taxi and General Committee be given delegated powers to consider any
objections received and to determine the fees to be charged and the date on
which any variations should come into force;
(ii) it be noted that
in accordance with the existing powers
contained in the terms of reference for the Taxi and General Committee in
future years the decisions in respect of fees set out in this report will be
made by the Taxi and General Committee without further reference to Council.
Supporting documents:
- Taxi and General Licensing - Registration - Permit Fees 2018-19, item 3. PDF 173 KB
- Taxi and General Licensing - Registration - Permit Fees 2018-19 App 1, item 3. PDF 155 KB