The Deputy Chief Executive for Citizens and City Services had submitted a report to seek agreement on the licence fees for 2026/27 where the council has discretion over the level of fee charged.

Recommendation(s): that the General Purposes Licensing Committee resolves to:

1.    Recommend to Council to approve the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire, Road Closure Orders, Scrap Metal Dealers, Sex Establishments Street Parties and Commercial Events Licenses Fees and Charges for 2026/27 as set out in Appendix 1.

Please note that some appendices to this item will be published as a supplement.

The General Purposes Licensing Committee resolved to:

1.    Recommend to Council to approve the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire, Road Closure Orders, Scrap Metal Dealers, Sex Establishments Street Parties and Commercial Events Licenses Fees and Charges for 2026/27 as set out in Appendix 1.

The Deputy Chief Executive for Citizens and City Services had submitted a report to seek agreement on the licence fees for 2026/27 where the council has discretion over the level of fee charged. 

The Chair invited officers to introduce the report and to provide a response to the earlier public address.  

The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) introduced the report and provided a comprehensive summary, noting that the Committee were requested to agree to recommend to Full Council the approval of the general licensing fees and charges for the next financial year. The Committee heard that for commercial events and events with no commercial element, including street parties, these fees have increased by around 4.3% to cover the authorities’ costs due to inflationary pressures. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) explained that scrap metal licensing fee setting is an executive function and are therefore determined by Cabinet. Finally, the Committee understood that there was no proposition to change fees relating to sex establishments and sexual entertainment value venues, or for Hackney and Private Hire licenses. 

The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) also delivered a response to the earlier public address on behalf of the General Licensing Team Manager as follows: 

START 

The Authority acknowledges that there has been increase in private hire driver and vehicle applications. The increase occurred within a period of less than a year following the launch of Uber Operator in Oxford. It is too early to determine whether this increase is temporary or long-term, and the Licensing Team is monitoring the position very closely. 

To manage the increased volume of Private Hire applications, the Authority has already taken steps to strengthen service capacity and meet the increased demand. This includes: 

• increased spending on processing and regulatory activity,  

• additional Officer levels,  

• higher supplies and equipment costs and demand, as well as  

• continued investment in taxi service improvements: 

We are now in the final stage of implementing the long-awaited Taxi online payments - which has required substantial Officers time and financial investment but will significantly improve efficiency for both the Hackney Carriage and private hire trades. 

It is important to clarify that all licence fees are legally ringfenced by licence type. Income from private hire licences can only be used to regulate the private hire sector. While that income is supporting the additional work generated by the rise in private hire applications, the Hackney Carriage trade still benefits greatly whenever improvements, such as modernised processes and online payments, are made available to all licence holders fenced by licence type. Income from private hire licences can only be used to regulate the private hire sector. While that income is supporting the additional work generated by the rise in private hire applications, the Hackney Carriage trade still benefits greatly whenever improvements, such as modernised processes and online payments, are made available to all licence holders. 

Should private hire income continue to increase beyond what is required to deliver an efficient, modernised, safe, and fully compliant service for a larger private hire fleet, then future fees and charges reviews would reflect that, including the possibility of reductions. At present, however, the increased application numbers are matched by increased operational, compliance, and enforcement demands. The Authority will continue to monitor the situation.  

To illustrate: Between 1 January 2025 and 1 January 2026, private hire driver numbers grew by 28% and private hire vehicles by 39%. During the same period, there have been significant increases in the following areas: 

• subcommittee determinations committee determinations  

• compliance and enforcement work  

• local knowledge & safeguarding tests  

• customer enquiries  

• administrative workload  

In terms of support for the Hackney Carriage trade, the Council already provides a ULEV discount for Hackney Carriage Vehicles. This Committee has also recognised the financial pressures facing drivers by delaying the requirement for all Hackney Carriages to transition to ULEV vehicles, removing the requirement of financial investment, which would otherwise have taken effect this year. Our Environmental Sustainability Team continues to work to secure improved charging rates and arrangements for Hackney Carriages, meaning drivers currently pay significantly less than private motorists when using the Blink charging network. 

With regard to comparisons to South Oxfordshire, their licensing system differs significantly. They do not cap Hackney Carriage numbers and licence around 500 Hackney Carriage vehicles, which spreads costs across a much larger fleet. In addition, a significant number of those Hackney Carriages operate non-traditionally, often working outside their own district through private hire operators. This means their compliance needs, enforcement expectations, and associated costs are very different from Oxford’s model, where Hackney Carriages operate predominantly within the city and serve the local public. For these reasons, direct fee comparisons are not applicable traditionally, often working outside their own district through private hire operators. This means their compliance needs, enforcement expectations, and associated costs are very different from Oxford’s model, where Hackney Carriages operate predominantly within the city and serve the local public. For these reasons, direct fee comparisons are not applicable. 

The current fees & charges offer substantial discounts for Private Hire Vehicle Licences which are fully electric (not ULEV) at £208 and WAV’s at £130. This is possible because the costs can be spread across a much larger number of private hire licences. The Hackney fleet is capped at 107 vehicles, limiting the ability to absorb a larger discount. The ULEV discount for Hackney Carriages could be increased, but only if the cost were offset by a proportionate increase in fees for non-ULEV Hackney Carriages, which is not considered appropriate at this time. 

Concerning LEVC component delays, we have contacted ODS for their views. At present, no such issues have been raised with the Licensing Team by drivers or trade representatives, and ODS have not identified concerns that would affect our compliance testing arrangements. 

Despite inflationary pressures and the increased operational costs outlined above, the Licensing Team is recommending no fee increases this year, in order to support the licensed trade. 

Thank you. 

END 

Councillor Lygo rejoined the meeting.  

? 

The Chair invited questions from the Committee.  

The Supervising Senior Licensing Officer and the Business Regulation Manager left the meeting and did not return. 

Councillor Ottino queried why there was no suggested increase for sex establishments and scrap metal dealers. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) explained that there has only been one sex establishment in the city since 2024 and the number of scrap metal dealers has decreased from 45 to 4 at present. As a result, there is no increased workload to justify increased fees associated with these licence categories.   

 
Councillor Rawle queried the previous changes to taxi licensing charges. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) noted only small increases in the previous year in line with inflation. 

Councillor Ottino queried the rationale for why private hire one-year licences are cheaper than one-year Hackney Carriages licences. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) explained that the Council issues two types of driver licence: Private Hire, and Hackney Carriage & Private Hire (dual). Holders of a dual licence are permitted to drive both Private Hire and Hackney Carriage vehicles, so they have more options in work that they conduct. As licensing fees are legally ringfenced by licence type, the larger number of Private Hire drivers allows costs to be more widely absorbed within that licence group. In contrast, the significantly smaller number of Hackney Carriage drivers means that fee reductions cannot be distributed as broadly, resulting in higher individual licence fees. 

Councillor Rehman noted the experiences drivers are facing with ULEV MOTs and requested that this be investigated and reported on. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) outlined that no issues have been reported by ODS to the Licensing Authority. 

Councillor Rehman and Councillor Ottino discussed the variations between Hackney Carriage and private hire fees with officers.  

The Chair queried why road closure fees had increased by a small amount, to the Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) explained that they have become more popular since the last Coronation and are relatively low in cost in comparison to the officer work and time required. The Committee heard that each application requires a one-week consultation. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) noted that the fee does not recoup the entire cost of the workload.  

Councillor Miles queried whether the cost of street closure signage was included within the fee, to which the Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) noted that it is set at an additional fee and available for rental from ODS. The Committee heard that there are no set conditions for the type of signage which must be used.  

Councillor Rehman, noting the number of private hire licences now in Oxford since the introduction of Uber, suggested that more money for additional enforcement should be required. The Senior Licensing Compliance Officer (ET) provided a detailed summary of the extensive enforcement action which already takes place weekly, and which is planned for the next financial year.  

Councillor Ottino queried the impacts of creating consistency between Private Hire and Hackney Carriage fees; officers were not able to definitively comment without data to hand.  

On being proposed by Councillor Lygo and seconded by Councillor Clarkson, the recommendation was put to a vote.  

12 Members voted in favour and 1 abstained; the recommendation was agreed.  

The General Purposes Licensing Committee resolved to:

1.    Recommend to Council to approve the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire, Road Closure Orders, Scrap Metal Dealers, Sex Establishments Street Parties and Commercial Events Licenses Fees and Charges for 2026/27 as set out in Appendix 1.