Agenda item

To consider the report of the Corporate Director which presents the results of the six week consultation on the proposal to attach as a mandatory condition, that all existing and new Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers undertake safeguarding awareness training.

The Senior Licensing and Markets Officer presented the report of the Corporate Director which presented the results of the six week consultation on the proposal to attach as a mandatory condition that all existing and new Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers undertake safeguarding awareness training.

He outlined the report and noted that the Committee had approved the proposal for a six week consultation at the previous meeting. He advised that ten responses had been received, six of which were fully in favour of the proposal and four opposed to it. The responses were attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

Councillor Hyman asked if the course certificates would be transferrable if licensed drivers moved to another area. He was advised that the certificates would be valid in other local authority areas within Gloucestershire and it would be for any other local authorities to decide their validity.

Councillor Patel was advised that the course duration would be two to three hours.

Councillor Haigh referred to the Asset Based Community Development section of the report and believed that the statement at paragraph 4.0 was essentially the same as that attached to the previous report and did not address ABCD issues adequately. She hoped that Officers would address her concerns in future reports.

Councillor Gravells was advised that regular meetings were held with the Trade and that the attendance could vary between two and fifteen representatives. The Chair noted that the Senior Licensing and Markets Officer regularly spoke to members of the Trade outside of the regular meetings.

Councillor Hanman expressed concern at the low number of responses and was advised that a total of 383 letters had been sent to licensed drivers and operators.

Councillor Gravells asked what sanctions would be imposed on drivers failing to comply with the condition if it were to be introduced. He was advised that their licences would be suspended until such time as they complied with the condition.

Councillor Patel was disappointed by the level of response given the efforts made by the Council to engage with the Trade. He asked if other means of engagement had been considered.

The Senior Licensing and Markets Officer noted that applicants were asked to provide a valid e-mail address which was not always forthcoming.

Councillor Haigh suggested that consideration should be given to using text communications to drivers’ mobile phones. She was advised that this had been considered but there had been difficulties raised by the Council’s Information Technology partner.

She asked that an addition be made to the Officer’s recommendation that licensed drivers should be requested to supply a mobile phone number and further investigations be made regarding the feasibility of Flash text communication with licensed drivers and operators.

The Committee indicated that Councillor Haigh’s suggestion should be incorporated into the recommendation.

Councillor Gravells asked if the Council had replied to the respondents. He was advised that they had been thanked for their responses and had been invited to attend this meeting.

He expressed concerns at the tone and language used by one of the respondents opposed to the proposal and believed that this should be challenged.

Both the Chair and the Officer advised that they had held conversations with the individual concerned.

RESOLVED that

a)    A mandatory condition be attached to all existing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers’ licences requiring them to undertake safeguarding awareness training;

b)   All existing drivers undertake the safeguarding awareness training by 31^st December 2017;

c)    All licensed drivers be asked to provide a current mobile telephone number and further investigations be made into the feasibility of Flash text communication with licensed drivers and operators.