The Quroum for this meeting is 4.

None

Councillors serving on the Committee are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in any of the following agenda items.

None

The Head of Environmental Development has submitted a report, the purpose of which is to inform Committee of the progress made by the Taxi Licensing Function between September 2012 and December 2012.

The Committee is asked:

(a)       To note the contents of the report; and

(b)       To make any comments and recommendations regarding the future work of the Taxi Licensing Function.

The Head of Environmental Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Julian Alison (Licensing Team Leader) presented the report to the Committee and explained the background.

He explained that there was a duty to work with licence holders of all sorts, and help them to make sure that they comply with the various rules and regulations. This included and educative role for licensing officers.

The Committee expressed appreciation for the Taxi Marshals, which were felt to be a good idea. The Committee also felt that enforcement in Oxford was working.

Resolved to note the contents of the report.

The Head of Environmental Development has submitted a report the purpose of which is to consider a request for a variation of the Hackney Carriage Tariffs from the City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association (COLTA)

The Committee is asked:

(1)       To consider the request from the City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association for a variation to the Hackney Carriage Tariffs in accordance with the information contained within this report;

(2)       To consider an alternative variation to the Hackney Carriage Tariffs in accordance with the information supplied by the Licensing Officer and contained within this report; and subject to any decision in relation to items i) and ii)

(3)       To request the Head of Environmental Development produce a revised Hackney Carriage Tariffs Chart for the approval of the Chair and Vice-Chair; and subject to this approval

(4)       To request that the Head of Environmental Development and the Head of Law and Governance carry out the statutory requirement of a public consultation and delegate to the Chair and the Head of Environmental Development to consider any responses to the consultation; and

(5)       To consider the request from the City of Oxford Licensed Taxicab Association for the display of the Oxford City Council logo on a Notice to be placed within all licensed hackney carriages, detailing that the fare for a journey that terminates outside of the City boundary may be charged on the taximeter at Tariff Three.

The Head of Environmental Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Jill Cramer (Licensing Officer) presented the report to the Committee and explained the background.

Michael Tombs and Khalid Sharriff (COLTA – City of Oxford Licensed Taxi Association) attended the meeting and presented their case for a variation of tariffs.

The Chair, Councillor Colin Cook, observed that there was a need to strike a balance between the requirements of drivers and the needs of the travelling public. He thanked officers for all their hard work on this matter.

Having considered all submissions, both written and oral, the Committee resolved to:-

(1)   Approve the variation of tariff requested by COLTA , as outlined in the report and in brief as follows:-

·        Tariff 1 the flag full will increase from £2.45 to £2.50;

·        Tariff 1 & 3 waiting time decreased from 20.3 seconds to 20

seconds;

·        Tariff 2 waiting time increased from 18.9 seconds to 19 seconds;

·        Tariff 1 & 3 distance of first flag fall to be reduced from 80 metres to 70 metres. Subsequent metres increased from 1600 to 1610 metres, then decreased from 125 metres to 110 metres;

·        Tariff 2 distance of first flag fall to be reduced from 53 metres to 47 metres. Subsequent metres decreased from 2120 to 2115 metres, then decreased from 130 metres to 110 metres.

(2)   Request the Head of Environmental development produce a revised Hackney Carriage Tariffs Chart for the approval of the Chair and Vice Chair, and subject to this approval:

(3)   Request that the Head of Environmental Development and the Head of Law and Governance carry out the statutory requirement of a public consultation, and delegate to the Chair and the Head of Environmental Development to consider any responses to the consultation.

(4)  Ask Legal Officers to investigate a request from COLTA to display the City of Oxford Council logo on a notice to be placed in all licensed hackney carriages detailing that the fare for a journey that terminates outside the City boundary may be charged on the taximeter at Tariff 3 (the request not being agreed at this time)

The Head of Environmental Development has submitted a report the purpose of which is to seek agreement of the licence fees for 2013/14 where the Council has discretion over the level of fee charged.

The Committee is asked:

(a)    To note the licence fees set by statute;

(b)    To agree the other licence fees for 2013/14 as set out in the Appendix.

The Head of Environmental Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) Dawn Cox and Julian Alison (Licensing Team Leaders) presented the report to the Committee and explained the background to it.

The Committee noted that a report on review of the Street trading Policy was expected in June 2013 and would address the matter of fees for street trading at charitable events.

Resolved to:-

(1)   Note the license fees set by statute;

(2) Agree the other licence fees for 2013/14 as set out in the appendix to the report.

The Head of Environmental Development has submitted a report the purpose of which is to inform Committee of the progress made by the Miscellaneous Licensing Function between May 2012 – December 2012 and future developments.

The Committee is asked

(a)       To note the contents of the report, and

(b)       To make comments and recommendations regarding the future work of the Miscellaneous Licensing Function.

The Head of Environmental Development submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) providing an update on licensing activity between May and December 2012.

The Committee resolved to note the report.

Minutes of the meeting held on 17^th October 2012.

Resolved to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th October 2012.

Noted that the next meeting would be in the next Council year (date to be confirmed).