Taxi Driver Online

According to the Ombudsman's web site, they are unlikely to look at my complaint until I have been through the councils complaint procedure. I am at the stage where I can make my complaint to an independent member of the council. From there I think the next step is the ombudsman.
I have received some correspondence from the licensing officer this week with reference to the questions raised regarding best value etc. There are some graphs showing how our prices compare to other authorities. The conclusion being that we are the cheapest. Mind you the comparison includes councils from over 50 miles away but does not include councils that are less than 10 miles away who are cheaper than ours. Anyway, I thought that I asked about best value and not a price comparison. .
I think that they are hoping that I will just give up and go away.

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Grandad,

They say that they have considered the objections and dismissed them and the new date, which is the same as the old date is well within the 2 month deadline.

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Grandad,

They obviously don't know you

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

We got a reply agreeing to answer the FOI questions by Friday 3rd of May.
And informed us that their report will be put to the August committee.
Assume this is a recognition of all our requests and meetings ie consultation without actually saying so.

No response to the request to suspend price increase meantime.

Since bus deregulation in the days of our friend the late Mrs.T, Traffic Commissioners have not had the power to set fares or times for buses and coaches. TCs have nothing to do with taxi or PH licencing anywhere in the UK, just buses, coaches and lorries...unless you happen to be a taxi operator who has a restricted PSV licence.

Pretty sure that's not the case.

I may be corrected but I think in Scotland it is the TC who judges appeals against taxi fare increases.
And maybe more.

That is correct.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

They can't do a best value as they have no accounts? Just comparing what others charge is not a best value? They need to compare how much it costs them compared with the costs of other councils?
Example
Ashfield council
Staff time allocated: 3.75 FTE x 250 Working days p.a. x 7 hours = 6563
Licences in issue: Vehicles 241; Drivers 270; Operators 6 = 517
Staff hours per licence per annum = 12.693
North East Council
Staff time allocated: 7.95 FTE x 250 Working days p.a. x 7 hours = 13913
Licences in issue: Vehicles 1150; Drivers 1300; Operators 45 = 2495
Staff hours per licence per annum = 5.576

You can see the north east council is giving better value they can run there taxi licensing on 5.576 hrs compared with 12.693 by Ashfield ?

From the information provided by the Council it appears that the element of staff time allocated to the Taxi Licensing cost centre is 3.75 FTE. posts
For the number of licences currently in issue this seems to be an excessive amount.
Has the allocation of time been the subject of any objective management review?
By comparison, pro rata to the numbers of licences in issue, an authority in the North East of England has a much lower staff time allocation. That authority, after a detailed investigation by the District Auditor, following an objection from the taxi trade, employed outside consultants who analysed the Licensing function in detail and advised a number of operational improvements after identifying an excess of staff time available.
From my example the comparative data for Ashfield and the other authority which we believe suggests that the allocation of time by Ashfield Council is either excessive or requires to be validated by an objective review.

The above analysis requires further investigation and submits that the time allocation for staff is unreasonable pending the provision of any data the Council has to justify the costs charged into the Licensing account.
What data has the Council assembled in relation to any ‘best value’ exercise covering the licensing functions it carries out?

Get the idea? The reason I have set the example is so you can use it for complaint to the ombudsman ?

Also you were not given the opportunity to read the licensing officers responce to your objection and that you believe that it was not properly considered? You did say there are no minutes?


While the question of what is ‘reasonable’ can only be resolved by challenge, it seems clear that ‘costs’ charged to accounts to be recovered by licence fee income must be commensurate with the actual and necessary expenditure of human and material resources.
It follows that the Council must be able to demonstrate that those costs charged directly or by apportionment can be identified as being relevant and proportionate? They have no accounts so they can't ?

I dopubt it, it's usually the magistrates courts (in England) who we have to appeal to for most things connected with taxi/ph licencing. again, I stand to be corrected.

As it happnes, we've just had our badge renewal come in from shepway, up from £72 last time to £122 this time!! FFS, do they think we're MADE of money? with less staff in the LO, I don't see how they justify the increase.

Wow, received today a reply to all of the above.

Will post it a step at a time for comments.

First of all the final paragraph of the reply suggests that Council own copyright of the reply and the information and to publish or copy any of it might breach copyright laws.
Any comments?

In response to our request to suspend the increase in fees the request was refused and answered.

The reasons being

"......the increase was a corporate decision and not specific to licensing. Officers have no powers to override the decision"
&
"....with reference to ongoing consultation. This is not accurate. The trade association made a complaint and we met to discuss and have since gathered data to ensure we comply with legislation. It is for committee to decide to vary fees or if the trade shall be consulted "
Finally
"
....there is no legal requirement on council to give public notice of increase in fees"

Accurate? Fair? Or reasons for complaint?

Thanks in advance.

I believe that for fee increases on vehicles and operators licenses they are required to post a public notice in at least one local paper giving 28 days notice for objections. This does not seem to apply for drivers badges.

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Grandad,

Give it to someone else, who might just post it up.

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IDFIMH

In England and Wales the above would be treated as bo*****s, and would ensure a successful appeal to the District Auditor, Ombudsman, court etc etc.

But I don't know enough about Scottish fees.

However if the wording is the same, then they can't do what they are doing.

But defo appeal to the Ombudsman, if you have such a person up there.

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IDFIMH

Yes we have an ombudsman, in all councils