Taxi Driver Online

hi i have been chasing Thurrock council with ref to our elevated rates for a yearly badge (£150) and have had a reply from the external auditor today saying thurrock are within their rights to charge what they consider reasonable under section 53(2) of the lgmpa 1976 i know this isn't the case and want any and all advice what we should do now because they are not prepared to take this any further

regards jogra4

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IDFIMH

The Act says:

53 Drivers’ licences for hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.

(1)(a)Every licence granted by a district council under the provisions of this Part of this Act to any person to drive a private hire vehicle shall remain in force for three years from the date of such licence or for such lesser period as the district council may specify in such licence.

(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of the M1Public Health Act 1875 and the M2Town Police Clauses Act 1889, every licence granted by a district council under the provisions of the Act of 1847 to any person to drive a hackney carriage shall remain in force for three years from the date of such licence or for such lesser period as they may specify in such licence.
(2)Notwithstanding the provisions of the Act of 1847, a district council may demand and recover for the grant to any person of a licence to drive a hackney carriage, or a private hire vehicle, as the case may be, such a fee as they consider reasonable with a view to recovering the costs of issue and administration and may remit the whole or part of the fee in respect of a private hire vehicle in any case in which they think it appropriate to do so.