Taxi Driver Online

Council launches five-year money saving deal for taxi operators in Worcester

TAXI drivers are being offered the chance to save cash on getting permission to operate in Worcester - as long as they sign up for five years.

After Government changes in the law, Worcester City Council has agreed to offer operators a deal for long term licences.

Under the Deregulation Act 2015, ministers have ordered a bonfire of red tape and bureaucracy around the management of cabbies.

It means taxi operators, who currently must fork out a £285 yearly 'licence fee' to the city council, can now pay £1,080 to secure a five-year one instead.

The saving is a whopping £354, with council chiefs saying it will ease off some of the paperwork, ultimately saving taxpayers' money, and offer taxi firms a better deal.

Under the law, the council must still offer operators the option of a 12-month licence if they wish.

It has been accepted by councillors despite some concern around the value operators get for it.

Councillor Paul Denham, the vice-chairman of the licensing and environmental health committee, said: "I've been asked by the trade to raise what service they get from Worcestershire Regulatory Services in return for that fee.

"There are quite a lot of regulations around taxi drivers, they have to log all the customers who use it and for good reason, in case anything happens and they need to trace someone.

"But some operators haven't had a visit from officers in years, I'd like to know what they are buying for this and what service they can expect back."

Niall McMenamin, a senior licensing officer at the council, said: "It pays for the cost of administration, producing statistics for the Government, answering Freedom of Information Requests, complying with legislation, the list goes on.

"Whenever we get complaints about an operator it needs to be checked out too, so it goes towards that."

Councillor Chris Mitchell, the council's cabinet member for finance, said: "It is a lot of money to find in one go but we're here to ensure the safety of the public.

"By law, the council isn't allowed to profit from it."

If taxi operators take up the one-year option they will still pay the current yearly fee of £285.

source: http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/wor ... Worcester/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

as b*llshit goes - this is as good as I've seen for a while

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Should be £285, so a big over charge.

Love it. When the £354 is a saving it's a whooping saving..... when it's a cost it would be described as a small % followed by how much they haven't increased it in years

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Clearly someone hasn't read the 1976 act.

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IDFIMH

At a meeting I had with our licensing department it was mentioned about the cost of producing statistics for the government being added to the license cost.

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Grandad,

Yet more nonsense. Ask them on what basis, and what other council does likewise.

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IDFIMH