Agenda item

The Council considered a report of the Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Climate Change which sought approval of the revised Durham County Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy, referred to as the “taxi policy” (for copy see file of Minutes).

Council was asked to consider further changes to the revised taxi policy made by General Licensing and Registration Committee (GLRC) resulting from a second, 4-week consultation that took place between Monday 20 June and Sunday 17 July 2022. The final version of the taxi policy, as modified by GLRC was shown in Appendix 2 to the report.

In Moving the report Councillor J Shuttleworth, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Rural Communities and Highways informed Council that the revised Policy had been developed over a considerable period of time and incorporated national best practice and updated government guidance.  Seconded by Councillor D Stoker.

Councillor C Marshall referred to an email some Members had received from a group representing taxi drivers in County Durham which contained a lot of detailed information and Councillor Marshall asked whether the Cabinet Member would agree to meet with the taxi driver association to discuss the issues which had been raised.

Councillor J Shuttleworth replied that the Policy had been agreed by the General Licensing and Registration Committee prior to it being brought to Council for approval and no dissent had been made at that meeting.

Councillor N Jones informed the Council that he did not agree to further restrictions being placed on taxi drivers as proposed in the Policy and would not be supporting the Policy.

Councillor J Blakey informed the Council that she had chaired the meeting of the General Licensing and Registration Committee which gave unanimous approval of the Policy.  Members of the taxi association were present at that meeting, including the sender of the email which had been received by Members this morning.  One of the recommendations made at the meeting was that taxi licensing committees attend working group meetings with taxi drivers.

Councillor K Fantarrow informed Council that she did not support the new Policy and wished this to be noted.

Councillor R Crute moved that the report be deferred to allow the Cabinet Member and Councillor C Marshall to meet with Durham Taxi Drivers and Private Hire Association.  Seconded by Councillor C Marshall.

Upon a vote being taken it was

Resolved:

That the report be deferred to allow the Cabinet Member and Councillor C Marshall to meet with Durham Taxi Drivers and Private Hire Association