MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE HACKNEY CARRIAGE WORKING PARTY HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON THURSDAY, 18 APRIL 2002 COMMENCING AT 10.00 AM
Present :
Mr B E Abraham (deputising for the Labour seat), Mrs M J Miller, Mr V J Morey, Mr R A Sutton, Mr A A Taylor (deputising for Mr G Price)
Association Members (non voting) :
Mr J Jones, Mr I Porter, Mrs J Rounsevell, Mr D White
Also Present (non voting) :
Mrs T M Butchers, Mr C B W Chapman, Mr E Fox, Mr D J Knowles
1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN FOR THE DAY
Due to changes arising at the Annual Council meeting the previous day, it was necessary to elect a Chairman for the day.
RESOLVED :
THAT Mr V J Morey be elected Chairman for the day.
2. MINUTES
RESOLVED :
THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 April 2002 be confirmed.
3. DEZONING OF TAXIS
Members were reminded that the Fire and Public Safety Select Committee had referred dezoning of taxis to the Working Party to enable discussions to take place between the taxi trade and the Council.
The Council’s Environmental Health Manager advised the Working Party that a detailed investigation together with three surveys, had previously been undertaken. A detailed and comprehensive report on the results of these had been put before the Fire and Public Safety Select Committee on 12 January 2001. One of the surveys had been carried out by MORI and from that, when the three surveys had been combined, there had been 1,514 respondents, of those 24% were opposed to dezoning and 53% were in support.
It was believed that members of the public did not really understand zoning. It was explained that a fare could be picked up from one zone and carried to another, but a fare could not be picked up outside their designated zone. If dezoning were to be introduced a fare could then be picked up from anywhere on the Island and it was believed that this would be more cost effective.
The Environmental Health Manager indicated that a number of other Councils had recently dezoned and none of these had identified any disadvantages in such action.
The Working Party were reminded that once the Island had been dezoned it could not then be rezoned.
The Secretary of the Isle of Wight Taxi Proprietors Association told the Working Party that the general feeling from drivers and proprietors was that they did not want dezoning. They believed that it would lead to more cars on the road and there would not be enough taxi ranks on the Island. As most people had mobile phones now they believed it was easier for people to phone for a taxi.
Members asked if there would be any financial implications for the Council and how often were hackney carriages checked to make sure they were working in their designated zones. The Environmental Health Manager believed there would not be any cost to the Council. Three areas of possible savings would be no need to check that hackney carriages were plying for hire in their own zones, no need to identify the different zones on the plates and the standardisation of Bye-Laws.
The Senior Licensing Officer advised the Working Party that if they decided to recommend dezoning to the Fire and Public Safety Select Committee, consultation would still need to undertaken with members of the public, Town and Parish Councils. Advertisements would also need to be put in the local paper. Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act would need to be taken into consideration. Any evidence collected would then have to be sent to the Secretary of State and a decision would be made based on that evidence.
The Association reiterated that the trade did not want to dezone, but it appeared that officers of the Council supported such a move.
It was believed that as this was a cross-cutting issue members of the Environment and Transport Select Committee be invited to attend the Fire and Public Safety Select Committee meeting when the item appeared on the agenda.
RESOLVED :
THAT a report supporting the principle of dezoning be referred to the Fire and Public Safety Select Committee.
CHAIRMAN