Taxi Driver Online

Not clear whether all of this is simply due to lockdown and drivers disappearing, or if it's due to the council backlog in badging new drivers. Probably a bit of both.

But he certainly makes it sound like the council is pretty hopeless, while the council respond with the usual 'comms' spiel. Although the council does seem to acknowledge that all isn't well, but predictably downplays it all.

(Note this article was published about a month ago.)


Elland business owner calls on Calderdale Council to provide urgent help for private hire sector

https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/busine ... or-3560616

A businessman from Elland is calling on Calderdale Council to provide urgent help to his company and the wider private hire community.


Image: Halifax Courier

Steve Beales has owned Elite Voyager Chauffeur Travel since 2014 but says being unable to secure licences for new drivers, has cost him thousands in lost revenue and earnings for drivers.

Steve says he has had to sell some of his cars to keep the business afloat, and has had to give up his business premises and work from home.

"I have been trying to get new chauffeur drivers licensed since the start of July 2021 as replacements for longstanding drivers who had taken the decision to retire during the pandemic.

"Calderdale Council’s website didn't specify they weren't licensing, the online portal allowed applications to be submitted and fees paid to the council for new driver applications. There are several stages to licencing drivers which must be followed.

"The Council reintroduced measures that were impossible to comply with in the middle of a global pandemic – pre-pandemic the Council had removed some stages - in particular knowledge tests.

"The Council have also reintroduced English language test where previously, if you could supply a GCSE /O Level certificate, this replaced the need for the English test. Sadly some applicants provided non genuine certificates which has meant the test being reintroduced as the Council didn’t identify them.

"The pandemic and lack of available staff has meant an extreme shortage of available English tests being available via Calderdale Adult Learning with the next dates running into May or June this year. This stops the licensing process. Apparently this may be reviewed later this year.

"Pre pandemic I had 13 drivers and now operating with five drivers. This has caused immense stress on myself and also the remaining drivers. When you try to speak to someone at the Council you always have to chase, hold, wait, not get calls back. They consistently break promises to call back and fail to take any positive action.

"I am now in a position, as the economy opens up again, of having to advise customers that I cant provide the service that we were all proud to provide, solely due to a lack of drivers.

"I have sadly lost a few longstanding customers, which, had I had the additional drivers, would not have occurred. I had vehicles available but no one to drive."

Steve fears for the future of his company unless the situation can be resolved.

When asked what help he wants from Calderdale Council, Steve said: "Take decisive action to allow people to work to earn a living, respond to requests for meetings and phone calls in a timely manner.

"Work with other local authorities to accept each others tests where other Local Authorities have availability. And, similar to West Yorkshire Police, why cant they hold zoom meetings for courses? Why can't the council do similar for English and Knowledge tests? Help businesses not hamper their recovery”

"Calderdale’s own mission statement is to: "...aspire to be a place where talent and enterprise can thrive.....and by how our people care for each other and able to recover from setbacks and are full of hope".

"They are not living up to their own mission statement. I cannot understand why they do not want to support local businesses who have struggled to survive but are now faced with unnecessary bureaucracy which could be the final straw.

"It's upsetting that the various individuals cannot even be bothered to contact you after numerous requests.

"It's not a complicated request, it was more streamlined prior to Covid and has become ridiculously more vexing during Covid at a time when a sensible approach to “normal life” is required”.

"I have previously contacted my local MP Craig Whittaker and West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin's office but sadly neither are able to assist."

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Jenny Lynn, said: “Calderdale Council works with other authorities across West Yorkshire to ensure that our taxi, private hire and executive drivers are held to the highest standards for safety, safeguarding and customer experience. As part of our policy we require all applicants to meet certain standards including an Enhanced DBS, an English speaking, listening and reading test, a Medical and Knowledge test. We do provide support and guidance for applicants as they work through this process and would always encourage anyone having any difficulties to contact the Council: https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/siteinfo/ ... index.html

“We’re aware of Mr Beales’ concerns and take the issues raised very seriously. Due to the ongoing impacts of the COVID pandemic there are significant backlogs with third party providers across the country and we are working with our partners in West Yorkshire to find ways to reduce the burden on the sector.

“Our adult learning service continues to work hard to safely accommodate all learners and endeavours to support people into employment. Since reopening in September, the service has held weekly taxi assessment and knowledge tests and is looking at additional capacity where possible. Anyone looking for support into employment or for advice about Calderdale Adult Learning courses, can contact the service at https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/reside ... ng/contact.”

His website says they're based in Huddersfield, which would be under Kirklees Council rather than Calderdale, so not clear what he did in terms of badging prior to working the firm from home now in the Calderdale Council area because of lockdown. (Of course, presumably the website just hasn't been updated to reflect the fact he's operating from home.)

And the old recruitment stuff on the website simply says that new drivers need to have a 'private hire licence' and be 'Yorkshire-based', so that doesn't tell us much

So it might well be that part of his problem is starting to use Calderdale rather than Kirklees Council to badge drivers, but that's certainly not clear from the article.

https://elitevoyager.co.uk/

Note the two recruitment graphics here, and what's been missed out in the later one.

Maybe that's one reason he has recruitment difficulties, and obviously thought it a better idea not to use it in his recruitment spiel

(First graphic from July 2017, second one from November 2018, thus well before lockdown and his current recruitment difficulties.)

According to the last lot of DfT stats, June 2021, Calderdale had 971 licensed private hire drivers.

I'm quite sure if he paid the right money they would be queuing around the block.

_________________
IDFIMH

Round my way the only way to get a driver would be to pay cash in hand because most are on benefits and don't want to lose them. What chance have I got by offering full time employment with above national minimum wages, sick pay, paid holidays, pension scheme, free gym membership, canteen facilities and other fringe benefits?

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Grandad,

This is a new article, and recall that the one above was published one month ago, so this one isn't just the day after.

Great read, though - you certainly need a reasonable grasp of the English language to take it all in, ironically


Language qualifications to be amended in Calderdale taxi and private hire licensing changes

https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/p ... es-3599144

Changes to Calderdale Council’s policy on taxi and private hire licensing will go out to consultation.

Calderdale licensing councillors are also recommending to colleagues that they amend policy on English language qualifications to be widened to accept a higher level taught qualification as an alternative to that designated in the policy.

The council’s senior partnership enforcement officer John Beacroft-Mitchell said a year ago councillors had requested licensing policy be reviewed following guidance and recommendations issued by the Department for Transport.

Proposed changes to the policy range from basic disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks to the age and condition of vehicles, including vehicle compliance checks.

The review was now complete and councillors agreed to put the proposed changes out to consultation for a three month period.

Coun Daniel Sutherland (Lab, Illingworth and Mixenden) said drivers played a key role in keeping the community safe and the Licensing and Regulatory Sub-committee in turn can keep them safe.

Coun Robert Thornber (Con, Ryburn) asked if consultation on the policy would also take in neighbouring authorities and Mr Beacroft- Mitchell said West Yorkshire Combined Authority partners and councils “over the border” would be included.

Coun Sue Holdsworth (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) asked if there was any financial help which could be given to help obtain DBS checks, as drivers were needed with more people becoming reliant on taxis and hire vehicles, especially in rural areas, as bus services were withdrawn.

Mr Beacroft-Mitchell said DBS and English language checks were required and the council helped drivers with the process but did not pay for these itself.

Taxi and private hire representatives outlined concerns including some relating to extra work for businesses which might be created by expanding the English language qualifications accepted.

Mr Beacroft-Mitchell said it was also the case that the pandemic had delayed drivers being able to take tests and get their qualifications.

Councillors heard existing policy means drivers have to complete entry level three English as a Second Language (ESL), with the alternative proposed acceptable qualification being a Level One English taught qualification or above.

Mr Beacroft-Mitchell clarified that the level three ESL was entry level and the alternate was actually a higher level of qualification.

Trade representatives raised the issue of people providing fraudulent certificates, or certificates from overseas.

Mr Beacroft-Mitchell said the council tried to verify certificates provided to it although verification by third parties might take a while and it could be quicker for potential drivers to take the ESL entry level three test.

Production of a fraudulent qualification would breach the “fit and proper” test and a licence would not be issued to drivers who did this, he said.

Coun Sutherland said it was important drivers had a good grasp of the English language as in addition to issues relating to interaction with passengers raised by other councillors there were a lot of policies they needed to understand.

He welcomed the proposal to expand the accepted qualifications. “I think it is very welcome and it will open it up to more people especially in the context of delays,” he said.

Coun Sutherland accepted these might put a burden on operators and asked if the council could require that the alternative qualification be one that was delivered or passed in the UK.

Mr Beacroft-Mitchell said there was nothing to stop councillors doing this.

Coun Sutherland said the change would clarify that responsibility would be on the driver waiting for his former academic establishment to respond, and that it was not too onerous on businesses to investigate.

Councillors agreed to recommend the change in policy be made by the full Calderdale Council, which next meets on March 23.

They also agreed to amend policies to ensure new statutory conditionality checks introduced by the Government’s Finance Act 2021 will take place.

So are they actually going to have a policy that says the council must obey the law of the land?

_________________
IDFIMH

Not much of a chance, Grandad.

They can earn more with cash in hand on benefits than as a full-time employee in the taxi trade.

This is the problem with socialism. It gets to the point we are at today where there is no incentive to work a minimum wage job because benefits pay nearly the same and if people can get a cash paying self-employed job then they will take advantage of that.

The opportunity to earn £20 per hour or even more would not improve their situation when you take into consideration taxes etc.

This is one of many reasons I closed my business. You can't fight the government.

They have proven with their policies they don't want small business to thrive. It's why many are going under and it's not covid-19 to blame. That was just an easy excuse. The economy was always heading this way.

I am expecting to see many stories like this Yorkshire chauffeur company struggling to attract drivers. The race to the bottom has it's consequences and the councils are exacerbating the problem.

because small businesses don't line the pockets of the politicians with gold big business does and then pays very little tax as a reward

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Wider English qualification to be accepted for new taxi drivers in Calderdale

https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/t ... le-3645077

Councillors in Calderdale have agreed to accept a wider English qualification as a requirement for new taxi and private hire licences being awarded.

At the final meeting of the full Calderdale Council before the May elections, they agreed to continue requesting an ESOL Entry Level 3 English test for all new applications – as part of a consistent approach across West Yorkshire authorities – but also to accept an English taught qualification of Level 1 or above.

ESOL stands for English for speakers of other languages, qualifications being studied for by students who did not learn English as their native tongue.

The council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee had recommended the change to councillors, arguing on English language qualifications be widened to accept a higher level taught qualification as an alternative to that designated in the policy.

The policy review follows guidance and recommendations issued by the Department for Transport.

Overall proposed changes to the policy range from basic disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks to the age and condition of vehicles, including vehicle compliance checks.

Taxi and private hire representatives had outlined concerns including some relating to extra work for businesses which might be created by expanding the English language qualifications accepted.

The Licensing councillors heard existing policy means drivers have to complete entry level three English as a Second Language, with the alternative proposed acceptable qualification being a Level One English taught qualification or above.

The council’s senior partnership enforcement officer for licensing and emergency planning, John Beacroft-Mitchell clarified to Licensing councillors that the level three qualification was entry level and the alternate was actually a higher level of qualification.

'Arguing on'?

Not sure if that's a typo, or just poor English, but certainly doesn't read well, except maybe as an informal turn of phrase.

Of course, chickenfeed in the context of online news reports, but thought it worth pointing out because of the ironic quality of 'arguing on English language qualifications'

Good.

Understanding your customers and their requirements, and being able to read signs, is part and parcel of our trade.

_________________
IDFIMH