Funding debate over marshals at Bournemouth taxi rank SHOULD the police pay for security guards to patrol a taxi rank at night?
That was a question that came up as funding for Bournemouth’s taxi marshals runs out.
They keep order amongst clubbers at the busy Horseshoe Common rank.
The marshals were first used in 2004 and after intermittent use got grant funding in 2009.
But the money runs out within weeks and a suggestion taxi drivers could pay for it with a £50 levy was dismissed by the council’s licensing board last week.
Vice chair of licensing David Kelsey told the Echo: “We will find the funding, it’s just a case of digging around.
“We’re hoping to get enough money to last six months.
“The view was that yes, we definitely want the marshals, but the funding is the sticking point.
“To me, it’s a police issue, the police should be paying for it.”
A Dorset Police spokesman said: “The taxi marshals are a multi-agency initiative.
“Dorset Police is aware funding is due to come to an end and all partners are working together to find alternative methods of funding.”
The marshals have been funded directly by grants on public order and community safety, with no direct council or police input.
The original idea had been raised and promoted by the police in 2004.
John Tye, chairman of the Taxi Trade Association, from South-bourne, said: “The council has recognised what we have known for years.
“It was a police initiative initially. It was about public protection and public safety and it’s not a cost that should be borne by the taxi trade. What the committee has said to the police is we recognise you want it, you should be funding it.”
Cllr Andrew Morgan, chairman of the licensing board, said: “We hope that any period without taxi marshals will be a short one and we recognise the benefits they bring.”
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/9 ... taxi_rank/
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