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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:00 pm 
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A small number of drivers have been invited to consult on new proposed Licensing policy much of which sounds very familiar to what has appeared on here in the last year or so

http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=26889&p=0

it is now an 86 page document :roll: and an absolute pain to read through but some of lowlights include...

Quote:
Every 6 months, the Authorised officer, will undertake an online check of the DBS Update Service to check the driver’s current status. Depending on what is revealed in the check, the Authority may require an additional DBS check to be undertaken
at the applicant’s expense.


Quote:
4.2.
3
Licensed Operators must submit a Basic Disclosure Certificate to the Licensing Team annually on the anniversary date of their licence. Where the Operator is also a licenced driver and a 6 monthly enhanced DBS check is undertaken it is not necessary to submit a Basic Disclosure Certificate.


Quote:
30.4
If a meter is installed, there shall be no other device which
displays the fare. This
is to avoid confusion with customers. Only the meter is to be used to calculate the fare


Quote:
25
.1
Proprietors shall
notify the Authority’s Licensing team in writing within 48 hours of
an arrest and release, charge or conviction of any sexual offence, any offence
involving dishonesty or violence, any motoring offence or fixed penalty.


Quote:
Vehicle Age
An application for a hackney carriage or private hire vehicle licence (other than a limousine
or a prestige vehicle) will not be accepted if the vehicle is
five years or older. The age of the vehicle will be taken from the date of first registration on the Logbook and which must be submitted with all applications.

The vehicle will continue to be licensed until it reaches 10 years of age,or 12 years of age for a purpose built taxis, wheelchair accessible vehicles, zero and ultra -low emission vehicles (ULEV) An ULEV is currently defined as any car or van that emits 75g/km CO2 or less.

It is expected that this definition will change over time, with vehicles requiring lower tail pipe
emissions. For the purposes of this policy, the standard that was relevant at the date of
first registration of vehicle will be used.


Quote:
4.7
Sub-Contracting

4.7.1
The Deregulation Act 2015 amended section 55 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act 1976 to permit private hire operators licensed by the Authority to sub-contract
a private hire booking to another operator licenced by the Authority or any other local authority.

4.7.2
Regardless of which operator fulfils the booking, the operator may only dispatch a vehicle licensed by the same Authority that licences the operator and driven by a driver licenced by that same Authority

4.7.3
Operators that accept a booking remain legally responsible for that booking even if they subcontract that booking to another operator. They should record that
booking as usual, noting the fact that it was sub-contracted


Quote:
The Authority requires Group 2 Standards of Medical Fitness,as applied by the DVLA
to the licensing of lorry and bus drivers, as the appropriate standard for licensed hackney carriage and private hire drivers.
3.7.3
Applicants shall provide the Authority with the prescribed medical examination form
completed by their own General Practitioner (GP), or a Doctor who has access to
the applicant’s medical history, on first application and every 3 years thereafter until
aged 65 years. Once the driver has reached the age of 65 years or if they have a
relevant medical condition, an annual medical will be required thereafter.
The
applicant will be responsible for paying the fee for the examination to the relevant
surgery and for ensuring all sections are completed in full by their GP.
The certification must be less than three months old.


Loads of other stuff in there about requiring applicants to have taken a course taught in English and knowledge tests etc.


But all in all clearly someone had too much time on their hands during lock down and wants to justify the staffing levels of the department :roll: and of course big increases in licensing charges !

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:23 pm 
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Quote:
But all in all clearly someone had too much time on their hands during lock down and wants to justify the staffing levels of the department :roll: and of course big increases in licensing charges

Would be interesting to compare it to the recent similar Guildford document, and then consider why any differences are required. Or, if it's largely the same as Guildford's, why do we need 300+ councils all producing the same stuff :?:


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:29 pm 
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StuartW wrote:
Quote:
But all in all clearly someone had too much time on their hands during lock down and wants to justify the staffing levels of the department :roll: and of course big increases in licensing charges

Would be interesting to compare it to the recent similar Guildford document, and then consider why any differences are required. Or, if it's largely the same as Guildford's, why do we need 300+ councils all producing the same stuff :?:

It is very similar to our policy.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 8:25 pm 
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StuartW wrote:
Quote:
But all in all clearly someone had too much time on their hands during lock down and wants to justify the staffing levels of the department :roll: and of course big increases in licensing charges

Would be interesting to compare it to the recent similar Guildford document, and then consider why any differences are required. Or, if it's largely the same as Guildford's, why do we need 300+ councils all producing the same stuff :?:


This is what can be expected (national standards)many subscribers on this site asked for this, eventually all Council policies will be similar, after all licensing officers meet regionally on a frequent basis and all are members of IoL who are putting guidance out regularly, license officers independence has been eroded and being dictated to by an unelected body.
Unfortunately for us in the trade the elected members of Council licensing committees take as fact what licensing officers tell them, challenging of officers proposals has gone out of the window(scrutiny is a thing of the past) that is why we find our trade and country in this big mess.


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 8:39 pm 
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Quote:
Every 6 months, the Authorised officer, will undertake an online check of the DBS Update Service to check the driver’s current status. Depending on what is revealed in the check, the Authority may require an additional DBS check to be undertaken at the applicant’s expense.

Why is that a lowlife?

The council have little option other than to follow the Government's guidance, unless you can give them a very good reason not to.

Once a driver has registered on the DBS site the council can check every day if they want, it won't cost the driver any more.

Not sure why they would need to do an additional check as the online check has all the info anyway.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 8:41 pm 
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Quote:
Licensed Operators must submit a Basic Disclosure Certificate to the Licensing Team annually on the anniversary date of their licence. Where the Operator is also a licenced driver and a 6 monthly enhanced DBS check is undertaken it is not necessary to submit a Basic Disclosure Certificate.

Again this is Gov guidance, the council doesn't have any real option.

But havent you in the past questioned the suitability of some of your fellow operators? Surely this will help out?

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 8:43 pm 
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Quote:
Sub-Contracting

4.7.1
The Deregulation Act 2015 amended section 55 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act 1976 to permit private hire operators licensed by the Authority to sub-contract
a private hire booking to another operator licenced by the Authority or any other local authority.

4.7.2
Regardless of which operator fulfils the booking, the operator may only dispatch a vehicle licensed by the same Authority that licences the operator and driven by a driver licenced by that same Authority

4.7.3
Operators that accept a booking remain legally responsible for that booking even if they subcontract that booking to another operator. They should record that
booking as usual, noting the fact that it was sub-contracted

That's current law, they are merely putting it in their policy documents.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2020 8:52 pm 
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Heathcote wrote:
...challenging of officers proposals has gone out of the window (scrutiny is a thing of the past)...

You mean there was a bit more scrutiny and accountability once upon a time :?:

Either you're very old, or the two areas I've worked in since badged in 1996 are very different to yours :-|

(By the way, I suspect some readers are annoyed by my overuse of smilies 8-[ , but the reason I'm now using the :?: all the time is because the :?: key has stopped working on the small laptop I use in the car :oops:)


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:01 am 
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Sussex wrote:
Quote:
Every 6 months, the Authorised officer, will undertake an online check of the DBS Update Service to check the driver’s current status. Depending on what is revealed in the check, the Authority may require an additional DBS check to be undertaken at the applicant’s expense.

Why is that a lowlife? :-o freudian slip?

The council have little option other than to follow the Government's guidance, unless you can give them a very good reason not to.

Once a driver has registered on the DBS site the council can check every day if they want, it won't cost the driver any more.

Not sure why they would need to do an additional check as the online check has all the info anyway.



the point I was making is that when you have your 3 yearly DBS the information for the last 6 months is based on an enquiry to your local police. 6 monthly DBS checks are unlikely to pick up anything recent.

I also believe that our council is planning to take on extra staff to do these DBS checks and who do you think is going to pay for that ?

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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:13 am 
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I would sooner have officials working on the suitability, and ongoing suitability, of licensed drivers, than officers looking for small dents in taxi/PH.

Money well spent in my view.

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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:58 pm 
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Sussex wrote:
I would sooner have officials working on the suitability, and ongoing suitability, of licensed drivers, than officers looking for small dents in taxi/PH.

Money well spent in my view.

I agree.

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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:08 pm 
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Have your say on taxi services in South Kesteven

A four-week consultation is being launched to give the public their say on the district council's policy for licensing hackney carriage and private hire vehicles, drivers and operators.

The current policy was adopted in 2015 and is under review to ensure it reflects new guidance and also supports environmental sustainability.

The draft revised policy is available to view here , with changes to the previous policy highlighted.

Interested parties can make their views known via a survey at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TAXI2020

Cabinet member for commercial and operations, Councillor Dr Peter Moseley, said: “We’ve decided to publish the draft policy to give everyone the chance to comment if they wish.

“Revisions include improvements in the vehicle fleet which will have a positive impact on our environment, and measures to protect people from harm.

“These vehicles play a vital and integral part of our integrated transport system and provide a service where other transport is not available, such as in rural areas and late evenings, or for those with mobility difficulties.

“We need to be able to make appropriate and consistent licensing decisions and this is an important guide to assist with this.”

The document also covers vehicle specifications, a drivers’ code of conduct, SKDC’s enforcement policy – including penalty points – and cover both Hackney carriage taxis, which can be hailed in the street, and private hire vehicles, which must be pre-booked.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 6:13 am 
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I would also mention that less than 1 in 4 drivers received emails inviting them to take the consultation survey the fact the council can contact 90 % plus :shock:

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:53 am 
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These are the new taxi/Private hire regs..nationwide

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:59 am 
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edders23 wrote:
I would also mention that less than 1 in 4 drivers received emails inviting them to take the consultation survey the fact the council can contact 90 % plus :shock:



where are the other 10%, HMP Rampton?

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