(Members Code of Conduct – Part 4A of the Constitution)

To receive disclosures of interests from members and co-opted members on matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

Notes:

(1)       Members must consider their interests, and act according to the following:

(2)       Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member concerned or their spouse/partner.

(3)       Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them.  A failure to comply with these requirements is a criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. 

(4)       Officers must disclose interests in accordance with Council Standing Order 44.

No disclosures of interest in matters under consideration were made.

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2024 be signed as a correct record.

(Yusuf Patel – 07970 411923)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2024 be signed as a correct record.

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

(Yusuf Patel – 07970 411923 / Jane Lythgow 07970 411623)

There were no appeals submitted to review decisions to restrict documents.

The Committee will be asked to consider recommendations, if any, to appoint Members to Sub-Committees of the Committee.

                        (Yusuf Patel – 07970 411923 / Jane Lythgow 07970 411623)

There were no changes proposed to Sub-Committee membership.

Following the introduction of new Government Guidance, Legislation and improved licence application processes, several Licensing Conditions require updating.

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “I”) which outlines the areas that require revision and proposed conditions to be introduced or amended.

Recommended –

It is recommended:

(1)       That the requirement to pass a topographical knowledge test is removed from the training requirements for new licensees.

(2)       Remove the requirement for windscreen visors.

(3)       Approve the vehicle door decal as proposed at Appendix A to Document “I” as a cost of £54k (first year). This decal will identify the vehicle as a Bradford Council private hire vehicle that must be pre booked by the customer and provide a space for a removable operators decal to be fitted.

(4)       Introduce a condition that any private hire operator receiving any complaint or relevant information as detailed at section 2.5 (Document “I”) to the Licensing Service within 72hrs, in writing, in the format as prescribed by the Licensing Service, disclosing all information provided to them.

Footnote:     

It is proposed that all of the recommendations are approved for implementation from the 1st April 2025.

There will be a grace period for change of decals, allowing 2 months for decals to be supplied and fitted.

Following the introduction of new Government Guidance, Legislation and improved licence application processes, several Licensing Conditions required updating.  

The Strategic Director Place submitted a report (Document “I”) which outlined the areas that required revision and proposed conditions to be introduced or amended.

The Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Manager gave an overview of the proposed changes, details of which were set out in Document “I”.

During questions, the Chair stated that the safety of passengers was paramount, and he questioned how the proposed changes would enhance passenger safety.  In response, the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Manager stated that the decals with the Council logo and the operator’s decal would assure passengers, by clearly identifying the car and enable easier reporting in case of any issues.

In response to a question regarding consultation, it was reported that there had been an online consultation with the trade and the public, details of which were set out in appendix 2 of the report.  In general, the proposed changes had been welcomed.  There was also an in person meeting for operators on the 20th January 2025, (see Appendix 3 to Document “I”).

In response to declarations by new applicants, it was stressed that drivers had to declare any convictions, cautions or revocations etc, to ensure that they were a fit and proper person and that details were checked alongside the national database, and that any issues with a particular driver could easily be picked up as the system would automatically notify the relevant licensing authority.  In addition, the Enhanced DBS check would still be undertaken as a matter of course.

In relation to the proposed decals, it was explained that the BMDC decal could be an oval shape to distinguish it from the operator decal and they would be placed on the driver side front and rear doors respectively.  In addition, operators could stipulate to drivers that they solely work for them; however, this was an operational decision.  The Council could not stipulate that a driver only worked for one operator, as with the advent of app-based operators, it was not unusual for a driver to work for more than one operator.

A representative from Local Cars, an operator in Bradford was present at the meeting and although he welcomed the proposals stressed that the safety of passengers was paramount, he questioned the proposal to remove the requirement for new drivers to undertake a topographical knowledge test, adding that this requirement had already been removed by the service.  He expressed concern that relying solely on the use of a sat nav, meant drivers could compromise passenger safety, and that local knowledge of the district was paramount and gave passengers surety.

In response, the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Manager stated that the knowledge test had been suspended recently for operational reasons and that the training was sub-contracted to another department, however the decision to retain the knowledge test was still up for determination by this Committee.  However, the DFT recommendation was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.