Agenda item

To consider the draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licensing Policy to implement the proposal to introduce mandatory disability awareness training for those that they licence to drive Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles.

(Report attached)

The Committee considered a report detailing the proposal to introduce mandatory disability awareness training for those drivers licenced by the Borough to drive Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles.  Members were asked to consider amending the Council’s current policy and to adopt the new draft policy, as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, to incorporate the mandatory requirement for disability awareness training.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner introduced the report and in doing so drew Members’ attention to the Licensing Committee meeting held on 17th December 2012, where Members received a detailed referral report in relation to the finding of the “Access for Disabled People Task Group”; and the recommendation that Redditch Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Drivers be offered suitable disability awareness training to assist them in carrying out their role.  At the Licensing Committee meeting held on 11th March 2013, Members resolved that officers undertook a 12 week consultation with the Redditch taxi trade on the proposal to make disability awareness training a mandatory requirement for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicle drivers in the Borough.

At the Licensing Committee meeting held on 1st July 2013, Members considered the responses received during the 12 week consultation period and resolved to proceed with the proposal to make disability awareness training a mandatory requirement for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicle drivers in the Borough; with the exception of those drivers who could demonstrate to the Council’s satisfaction that they had undertaken equivalent disability awareness training.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner explained that new applicants would be required to undertake the required mandatory training before they were granted a licence to drive Hackney Carriage and/or Private Hire Vehicles.  Licences for existing licensed drivers would not be renewed after 1st July 2014 unless the licence holder had undertaken the required mandatory disability awareness training.  This would enable those driver’s whose license expired shortly after 1st July 2014 a reasonable opportunity to undertake the required mandatory training in plenty of time before they had to renew their licences.

Members were further informed that the training, from the proposed training provider Worcestershire County Council, was designed to provide Redditch taxi drivers with the knowledge and skills required to transport customers who may have a disability both safely and confidently.  The training sessions would accommodate approximately 15 delegates at a cost of £20.00 per delegate.  The training sessions would be held every three weeks at the Town Hall.  It was anticipated that three sessions would be offered per day as follows:

·         10.00am – 12.30pm

·         1.00pm – 3.30pm

·         4.00pm – 6.30pm

Councillor Braley highlighted the need to ensure that there was the capacity to deal with the number of drivers who would require training so that none of the drivers experienced any delays in receiving the training; and that officers should have a contingency plan in place should the proposed trainer be unable to carry out the training. 

In response the Senior Licensing Practitioner agreed to look into a contingency plan.  He informed Members that he was confident that the six month period from 1st January 2014 to 1st July 2014 was sufficient time for all required drivers to receive the mandatory training.

Councillor Fry stated that he fully supported the training initiative and, as detailed in the report, the recommendation for disability awareness training had come from a referral report in relation to the finding of the “Access for Disabled People Task Group”.  Councillor Fry expressed his thanks to the Chair of the Task Group, Councillor Mason, for chairing the Task Group.

Councillor Baker agreed and felt that the Council was setting a good precedent and that it was important for residents to feel safe and secure and that the training added to the professionalism of the taxi trade.

RESOLVED that

the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licensing Policies, as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, be adopted with effect from 1st January 2014.