Shropshire cabbies facing major council fee changesFees for taxi drivers and operators could be changed under proposals made by Shropshire Council.
The move would see the cost for a driver’s badge and licence reduced.
But the cost for a replacement badge or exterior plate following loss or damage would increase from £10 to £45 for the badge and £13 to £45 for the plate.
The authority today urged all those drivers and operators who may be affected to make any objections they may have within the next five weeks.
Under the proposed changes the fee for a driver’s badge would be cut from £239 to £218.
Licences for private hire vehicles would decrease from £168 to £142 while a renewal would fall from £172 to £164.
Objections must be received by 5pm on February 14 and these must be submitted to the council in writing, either by post or by email.
Karen Collier, Shropshire Council’s operations manager for health and community protection, within public protection, said: “The council has a legal duty to publish any proposed variation to these particular licence fees and to allow a minimum of 28 days for objections to be received.
“If no objections are received by the deadline, the fees will automatically take effect from February 15.
However, if we do receive objections, these will be given full consideration by the licensing and safety sub committee before a final decision is made.
“In this event, the fees will take effect from April 1.”
Keith Roberts, vice-chairman of the strategic licensing committee, added: “The council is currently proposing that some charges will increase, some will stay the same, and some will even decrease.
“It is about making sure that our costs are recovered as much as possible to enable the council to deliver a fit-for-purpose and resilient service to our customers.”
Martin Key, for Shropshire Council, said: “The fees and charges relating to taxi licensing activities are set on a cost-only recovery basis, and the proposed amended fees reflect the direct costs of delivering the taxi licensing service.
“In the case of Hackney carriages, the fares charged by the operator are set by Shropshire Council, and there is currently no plan to change these, although the trade can request a review at any time.
“In the case of private hire operators, the fares charged are set by the operators and hence are a commercial matter for the businesses directly.”
“Many of the taxi licensing fees are proposed to be reduced for 2016/17, from what they are in 2015/16, as a result of efficiencies achieved in the service.”
A full list of the fees and the proposed changes can be found at
https://shropshire.gov.uk/source:
http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2016 ... e-changes/
Login
Register
FAQ
