Public Question Time
To receive any questions from members of the public provided that a question does not relate to:
· Matters which are the subject of current or pending legal proceedings, or
· Matters relating to employees or former employees of the Council or comments in respect of individual Council Officers
Minutes:
Mr Zeya Ahmed of Gloucester Hackney Carriage Association expressed concerns regarding the consultation on the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers Assessment. He believed that Question 6 was poorly designed and misleading. He asked which local authorities had imposed a time limit on the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency certificate and which authorities had required existing drivers to take the assessment.
Mr Ahmed explained that in regard to whether the test should apply to new or existing drivers, he believed that the standard for new drivers had lowered over the years so this assessment should apply to them, however it should only apply to existing drivers as a disciplinary measure when there are concerns about a driver’s standard of driving. he also asked if the Council was aware of any other local authorities that required both new and existing licensed drivers to pass this assessment.
Mr Ahmed also referred to the trial of a taxi rank at Clarence Street and asked if the Council was aware that drivers only knew of the trial two days before the start and there had been no communication or signage.
The Food, Licensing and Markets Manager advised that she would answer the questions during the presentation of the report and the Members’ Update.