Agenda and minutes

Due to technical difficulties, the meeting start was delayed to 10.10 a.m.

The Chair reminded those present that the meeting was being filmed and would be available following the meeting via the Council’s website – Click Here to View.  Members were advised that voting on decisions would take place via Microsoft Forms.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J. Bevan, P.J. Bevan, D. Cushing,

W. David, M. Davies, D. Harse, D.W.R. Preece, Mrs D. Price, J. Simmonds (Chair) and Mrs J. Stone.

There were no declarations of interest received at the commencement or during the course of the meeting.

Lee Morgan (Licensing Manager) presented the report, which asked the Taxi and General Committee to consider the proposals set out in the report with a view to recommending to Cabinet an increase in the hackney carriage fare tariff, in light of requests received from members of the taxi trade.

Members were reminded that in accordance with Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, a local authority may fix and vary the rates or fares within their district and all other charges in connection with the hire of a hackney carriage.  However, prior to bringing into force any changes, the Authority must publicise its proposals in the local press for a period of fourteen days to allow for any objections.

Mr Morgan explained that there are currently 290 licensed hackney carriage vehicles across the borough and the tariff of fares sets out the maximum tariff that those drivers may charge for a journey.  The tariff of fares details the hours of operation that the tariff is applicable for, and also sets the charge for a ‘waiting time’, for example where a passenger could stop by a shop during the course of their journey and ask the driver to wait for them.

It was noted that the current hackney carriage fare tariff was last revised in 2018, and a table displaying the current fares was set out at Appendix A of the report.  Members were also asked to note the daytime and night-time tariffs in effect and the tariff rates available for different sizes of vehicles (1-4 passengers and 5-8 passengers)

Mr Morgan referenced the current financial uncertainty arising from recent global events and the rise in living costs, and explained that two proposals were submitted to the Licensing Department in November 2021 and December 2021 requesting that the Council revise the hackney carriage fare tariffs currently in operation.  One request was received from Mr George Edwards of the Caerphilly County Borough Taxi Drivers Association, and the other from Mr Robert Salter, a local hackney carriage vehicle proprietor.  These proposals were set out at Appendix D of the report, and both proposals also suggested changes to the waiting time and the times for Tariff 2 to be applied. 

All three elements of the proposals were set out at Sections 3.2 and 5.19 of the report for consideration by the Committee, who were asked to make a suitable recommendation to Cabinet in respect of their preferred proposals.  It was noted that both parties had been invited to the Committee meeting to speak in support of their proposals if they so wished.

The Taxi and General Committee were referred to the National Hackney Carriage Table of Fares included as a comparison at Appendix B and referenced in Section 5.3 of the report.  Members also noted the table showing 2-mile tariff comparisons across Wales at Appendix C of the report. 

Members were advised that since the last tariff review in 2018, there has been an increase in the cost of living, particularly  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.