Taxi Driver Online

No he did not.

It is good to see the Captain posting again.

Regards
BB

_________________
Mick Hildreth (07814 032002)
GMB PDB P39 Southern Region Branch Secretary
mick.hildreth@gmbtaxis.org.uk
www.gmbpdb.org.uk

Really? I thought I had just read about 23 postings on the bigot’s forum making reference, and alluding that the NTA were associating with the BNP in some way?

But I guess we take it with a pinch of salt, considering the halfwit who wrote it. Shame it's the same halfwit who pulls the strings in the GMB.

Thank god my real Taxi drivers organisation would have the guts to kick people like that straight out the door back into the gutter from where they crawled.

CC .................. nice to see someone else with good sense posting on here again.

I must however correct you on some facts with regard Berwick.

The CRB check is Enhanced.
The Vehicle test consists of a standard MOT but that must be coupled with a compliance test which covers the elements you raise.

I have experience in this area now .................... and believe them to be as stringent with regard fitness and propriety as Gateshead.

The fact that the revenue has increased in Berwick is obviously to the detriment of Newcastles revenue ...................... and it is my opinion that it is on this issue that they are so upset.

I have seen some of the vehicles from Newcastle being dumped in Gateshead when they are no longer able to continue in Newcastle ............................. but there was no outcry about that.

People have flimped in the town since before we were born CC .......................... and they will continue to to just that for ever more.

B. Lucky

_________________
"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

there making plenty of cash in berwick
Extra council jobs to cope with flood of taxi licence applications

http://www.berwick-advertiser.co.uk/new ... 3847467.jp



BERWICK Borough Council is creating two new jobs to deal with the flood of licence applications coming in from taxi drivers from all over the country.

The number of hackney carriage licenses issued by the authority has increased from 46 to 487 in less than two years as word spreads about its low-price offer.

The council's policy committee has now agreed to employ an additional licensing officer and licensing assistant — doubling the unit's staffing levels — at a combined cost of £46,500 to deal with the backlog of applications.

Chief executive Jane Pannell said: "What we are trying to do is provide the resources to do the job and the rate at which the job is going means we need to bring in another two officers."

The council can justify its decision on the back of a major increase in taxi licensing revenue which is likely to be in the region of £140,000 for the current financial year.

Even though a legal challenge has been brought against the authority by Newcastle City Council over its interpretation and application of licensing law, the fact it is not due to be held in the High Court until next year —by which time it is widely assumed Berwick Borough Council will have been dissolved — means the high level of licence applications will almost certainly continue.

David Wilson, borough licensing manager, said: "The predicted revenue for this year and next, even after appointing additional staff, will result in a surplus upon the dissolution of the council of £40,000 to £50,000.

"In reality, the number of licences are going to continue to grow and the revenue and surpluses are going to do likewise."

Council revenue from taxi licensing is already over £113,000 for the current financial year, with a further £30,000 anticipated by the end of the financial year.

However, while former mayor, Coun Anthony Murray welcomed the extra licensing income he questioned whether the media attention the controversial policy is generating was a good thing for Berwick.

He said: "It would appear the money is going to come in to replace the cost of the salaries we would be creating but I would question the publicity we are getting at the present time because of our licensing policy which has resulted in Berwick-licenced taxis operating all over the north of England."

The council's reception is currently despatching 60 or more hackney carriage application packs a week but this increases when there is media coverage.

Mr Wilson said: "It's said that all publicity is good and that is the way it is in this case. Every time there is media focus on this issue and we get bad publicity it results in a wave of inquiries from taxi drivers looking for licences."

Mrs Pannell added: "There is a judicial review and we don't want to step across the nature of that activity. Throughout the process we have sought legal advice on the way we have conducted our business and that advice has confirmed the way we are doing business is appropriate."

By law, a council only sets the fees it charges at a level that covers the costs of providing the service and not to make a profit. In the event there is a significant revenue surplus, the council would be required to reduce its fees accordingly.

Taxi protesters head to court
Mar 8 2008 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

TAXI drivers in a Northumberland town have backed a protest by city counterparts against their local licensing authority and are vowing to do so in court.

Berwick Borough Council has come under fire for handing out licences to taxi drivers from across the region cheaper than other authorities and without making them sit a knowledge test.

Earlier this week, drivers from Newcastle descended on Berwick to protest outside the council’s offices, having witnessed an increase in borough council licensed vehicles operating in the city.

Now drivers in Berwick have come out in support of their Newcastle counterparts.

The 30-member group is vowing to take part in a judicial review brought by Newcastle City Council against the borough. It has raised the funds to hire a barrister to make its case with the support of the National Private Hire Association, of which it is a member.

And the Berwick association claims the borough council’s approach to licensing could also threaten town drivers’ livelihoods. It fears those given plates by the borough could decide to operate in Berwick, at a time when there is not enough business to go around.

Association secretary George Richardson, 46, of Dock Road, Tweedmouth, has been owner of Fifes Taxis for 20 years. When he began, he claims there were 19 drivers licensed by Berwick council. Now he says there are 476, of whom 60 are working in Berwick.

Yesterday, Mr Richardson said: “We understand why the Newcastle hackney drivers are so hacked off about it. We fully support them in their protest against Berwick Borough Council. We are as upset at these licences being issued to Newcastle operators as they are. These licences could come back to Berwick and be used here, and there is nothing we can do about it.”

A council spokesperson said: “Berwick Borough Taxi Association and individual members of the trade working within the borough raised this issue 16 months ago.

“During this time there has been no such influx of taxis, although it is believed that, on only a few occasions, one or two taxis have worked from the town’s taxi ranks.

“We remain of the opinion that the council correctly interprets the law in connection with the licensing of Hackney Carriages and that we have no discretion to refuse to licence a person or a vehicle because they may operate outside of the borough.

“The High Court decision on February 5 to grant permission to Newcastle City Council to apply for Judicial Review provides the opportunity for this issue to be clarified.”

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

The Private hire monthly magazine egged this up a while back, obviously you are of the opinion that it has some relevance to the Taxi trade as a whole, is there any chance you can tell us what they relevance is?



That would not be the responsibility of the council unless a law has been passed that suggests otherwise?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

This Judicial Review apparently starts on Monday, 15th September in The Strand.

Does anyone know whether there is likely to be a reserved judgment, or will we know the outcome next week?

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Be amazed if it's decided next week. Give it 4-6 weeks.

_________________
IDFIMH

That means Brian with a Y will be pushed to get it into his trade paper for the November issue.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Is it just me, or is this one group of councillors seeing if they can [edited by admin] up the wall higher than another group of the same... a good laugh and all that . . . .

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

For a moment there I thought one or the other gave a shi* . . . .

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Pound to a pinch of sh*t they won't be paying the legal bills!!

I just wonder if the lawyer & barrister fees for this lot will come out of the HC & PH licensing budget at both councils.

Berwick & Newcastle vehicle licensing fees next year could be over a grand a time, & driver licence fees won't be far behind.

Three days in court, loads of lawyers & barristers on both sides; sounds like fees of over £1,000,000 to me.

Someone has to pay for it, & it will probably be the PH & HC lads in Newcastle & Berwick.

_________________
Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Now pardon me for being a cynical bastar* but .. . .

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

As Berwick ceases to exist as a local authority and therefore licensing authority from early 2009 ...................... I doubt very much that their fees will go up.

B. Lucky

_________________
"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

Won't any legal bills just be inherited by any new authority? and passed on through the fees of it's licenced trade?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/