Agenda item

To consider any scoping documents provided for possible Overview and Scrutiny review.

The following draft scoping document has been received:

·                Improving Disabled People’s Access to Redditch’s Taxi Fleet Short, Sharp Review – Proposed by Councillor Tom Baker-Price.

(Scoping document attached)

The Chair invited Councillor Tom Baker-Price to present a scoping document containing proposed terms of reference for a review of action that could be taken to increase the number of accessible vehicles available to passengers with disabilities in the Borough.  In so doing he highlighted the following areas:

·                This was an issue which had been discussed at both the Licensing Committee and a recent Taxi Forum and Councillor Baker-Price had spoken to the Licensing Team.

·                Councillor Baker-Price described a particular incident which had highlighted the lack of vehicles with wheelchair access.

·                Members were informed that some residents had been advised there was a need to book accessible vehicles some 24-48 hours prior to the required travel time.

·                5.7% of the fleet were adapted for wheelchair access but it was noted that the majority of these were used by Worcestershire County Council under contract and were not therefore available for general use.

·                The impact of the availability of accessible transport on the life of a person with disabilities and their ability to live independently.

·                The majority of vehicles were private hire and therefore the charging mechanism was not set down by the Council.

·                The work of a previous task group which investigated access for disabled people to Redditch town centre using all forms of transport, and the recommendations which had arisen from those investigations.

Following presentation of the topic proposal Officers confirmed that Worcestershire Regulatory Services would be happy to be involved in the investigation.  The following points were raised for Members’ consideration:

·                It was not possible to set a price tariff for private hire vehicles as the contract was made as soon as a person made the phone call to book the vehicle.  Therefore the Council was not able to put a price cap on private hire vehicles.

·                The change to the licences to operate adopted vehicles for a longer period of time which took place in 2009 had only led to there being an increase of three vehicles over that period.

·                The disability training referred to in the previous Task Group’s recommendations had been made available.

Councillor Gay Hopkins showed an interest in chairing the review and encouraged those Members that were keen to join her speak to their Group Leaders as soon as possible as it was important that the Review got underway as soon as possible in order to meet the suggested deadline.  Members were reminded that such a review would be time consuming; and any Members would need to be committed to completing the investigation within the timescale suggested.  In view of the timescale it was suggested that membership be limited to four Members and that Group Leaders’ would be asked to respond to Officers as quickly as possible.

RESOLVED that

1)        a short sharp review be set up in respect of Disabled People’s Access to Redditch’s Taxi Fleet;

2)        Councillor Gay Hopkins be appointed Chair of the Short Sharp Review into Disabled People’s Access to Redditch’s Taxi Fleet; and

3)        the deadline for completion of the review be set at 12th April 2016.