Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Pauline Ross
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Apologies Minutes: No apologies for absence were received. |
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Declarations of Interest To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 11th September 2017 were submitted.
The Democratic Services Officer referred to an amendment she had received from Councillor C. M. McDonald with regard to minute number 14/17, Street Trading – Designation of Streets (Response to the Proposal). Councillor McDonald had requested that it be recorded in the minutes that the Senior Licensing Practitioner, Worcestershire Regulatory Services, had informed the Committee that the costs incurred so far were £250.60 and that he had spent thirty minutes of his time on this item.
RESOLVED that subject to the above amendment, the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 11th September 2017 be approved.
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Proposed Amendments to Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policies Additional documents: Minutes: The Licensing Committee was asked to consider a report that detailed proposed amendments to the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policies and to approve consultation on those proposed amendments.
The Senior Licensing Practitioner, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS), drew Members’ attention to the Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Handbook, at Appendix 1 to the report.
The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, informed the Committee that currently there were no scheduled reviews due to be undertaken in relation to the Council’s licensing polices, although officers ensured that policies were continually updated to reflect any relevant changes in legislation and other circumstances.
The Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Handbook was approved and updated in March 2016. The handbook sets out the Council’s policies on the licensing of Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles and drivers.
There were two specific areas within the handbook that had caused some difficulty since the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Handbook was last updated and officers were asking the Committee to consider the proposed amendments to these two areas, the NVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving and Tints on Windows; and to decide whether to carry out a consultation on the proposed amendments, as detailed in paragraphs 3.13 and 3.19 in the report.
NVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, informed the Committee that, new holders of driver licences were required to be awarded an NVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving or an equivalent qualification within twelve months from the date of the grant of their initial licence.
It was highlighted that, as detailed in paragraphs 3.8 and 3.9 in the report; to achieve a full Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving (Community Transport, Taxi and Private Hire), learners had to obtain a minimum of 31 credits from mandatory and optional groups. Mandatory units covered health and safety, driving community transport/chauffeured vehicles safely and efficiently, providing professional customer services and services for those who required assistance, dealing with difficult situations and emergencies and working with others.
Leaners could choose from a range of optional units according to their job role. These included; defensive driving, meeting special customer needs, providing a service to children and young people, processing telephone bookings, transporting luggage and parcels, planning routes and processing fares.
Some license holders had reported difficulties to WRS, in obtaining the Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving or an equivalent qualification, as there were very few training providers in the local area offering this qualification. Licence holders had also complained that the costs of obtaining the qualification were unduly burdensome.
The Senior Licensing Practitioner, WRS, further informed the Committee that when the requirement to obtain the Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Road Passenger Vehicle Driving was initially introduced, Government funding was made available to fund the cost of the training and to encourage uptake of the qualification amongst licensed drivers across the country. Government funding was apparently no longer being provided, so ... view the full minutes text for item 20/17 |
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Licensing Committee Work Programme 2017/2018 Minutes: The Committee considered the Licensing Committee Work Programme for 2017/2018.
RESOLVED that the Licensing Committee Work Programme 2017/2018 be noted. |
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