Taxi Driver Online

Council error means taxi licence fee refund

COUNCIL bosses could have to pay out cash to scores of cab drivers after a mistake over taxi licence fees. Calderdale Private Hire Association says the bill – caused by an error in advertising a £5.50 hike in operators fees – could amount to hundreds of pounds.

There are 720 vehicle licence holders in Calderdale. Each licence holder who paid the fee since it was wrongly published after being approved on March 30 will be paid their £5.50 back. The council would not confirm how much it will have to stump up.

Nasir Hussain, president of Calderdale Private Hire Association, said he was concerned the council could make such a mistake. "It is very disturbing to find that the council has failed to follow the requirements of the law which allows them to demand licence fees from the trade.

"We had always believed that the council was acting within the law when increasing fees or imposing regulations on the trade. "Now we realise that mistakes can be made and we must be more proactive in challenging the council whenever they seek to impose ever more regulation and control over our business," he said.

A spokesman said: "At a meeting members approved an increase in fees in relation to licences within the registration and licensing service. "However, due to an administrative error, the proposed increase to hackney carriage, private hire vehicle and private hire operator fees were not advertised and cannot be implemented. "Those applicants who have paid increased fees since the date of the decision will have the increase refunded."

The council has agreed to press ahead with proposed fee increases for hackney carriage and private hire vehicles. The charges will now be advertised legally and any objections will be considered at a future meeting.

Mr Hussain said Calderdale Private Hire Assocation was considering objecting to the fee increases. They will also be asking the council for a meeting to discuss strict penalty fines imposed on drivers for minor infringements of the taxi regulations.

Last August, as reported in the Courier, Calderdale Private Hire Association drivers took strike action over fees and regulations they felt were crippling the trade. They have recruited an expert from the National Association of Private Hire Drivers to help fight their cause.

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