PAPER D


 

Committee :    HACKNEY CARRIAGE WORKING PARTY

 

Date :              22 FEBRUARY 2002

 

Title :              HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE FEES AND CHARGES 1 APRIL 2002 - 31 MARCH 2003

 

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND INFORMATION





SUMMARY


To inform the Trade of the advertised Fees and Charges for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licences.


BACKGROUND

 

1.        Set out at Appendix 1 are the advertised fees and charges for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire from the 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003.

 

2.        Members may be aware that in the financial year 2000 -2001 there was no increase in the fees and charges for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licences. At that time all other licences and registrations were increased, where statute permitted, by 14%.

 

3.        In the financial year 2001 - 2002 the increase for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licences was in line with inflation.

 

4.        During these years the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licensing administration costs have been subsidised by the overall Council budget unlike other licences where legislation also permits full cost recovery.

 

5.        The new fees and charges for Hackney Carriage Vehicle and Private Hire Operators, along with a projected increase in income of approximately £2000, will ensure the recovery of the full cost of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire functions. The increase in vehicle fees equates to 7% and Private Hire Operators is also 7%.

 

6.        It is not proposed to increase any other fees for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire licences this year.


LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

1.        The Working Party’s attention is drawn to Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 which requires local authorities to consider the community safety implications of ALL their activities. This is a corporate responsibility of the authority as a whole.

 

2.        This matter should be considered against a background of the implications of the Human Rights Act 1998.



RECOMMENDATION


That the report be noted.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

1.        No increase has been proposed for Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Driver’s licences in the hope that this will help to encourage new drivers into the trade.

 

2.        The cost of a Private Hire Vehicle licence has also been kept at last year’s price as the cost of licensing these vehicles works out slightly less than a Hackney Carriage Vehicle due to less enforcement costs etc.

 

3.        There has been no increase in minor charges e.g. amending driver’s licence etc, as these often result in a decrease in income and efficiency as people try to avoid these charges.



 

Contact Point:            John Murphy, Senior Licensing Officer ☎ 823152







J PULSFORD

Strategic Director of Finance and Information


APPENDIX 1


ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL

                                                       _______________________


LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1976


Notice is hereby given that the Isle of Wight Council in accordance with their powers as contained in Section 70 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, propose to introduce new Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licence fees.


The Licence fees will be:


Hackney Carriages


Vehicle

Annual Licence for former Boroughs of

Newport, Ryde and South Wight       ..         ..         ..         ..         ..                          £199.00

Annual licence for former Urban District of

Cowes (this includes the cost of Fountain

Quay Taxi Rank at £36.48 Per vehicle)         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..              £235.48

Summer Licence (5 months)  ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..                          £186.00

Transfer fee except on renewal         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..              £ 31.50

(All above are exclusive of test fees which are paid direct to the Council’s nominated garage to save on administration costs.)

Amending licence       ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..                          £ 10.00

Plates on Grant of new licence          ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..              £ 21.00

Replacement for lost, stolen or broken plate             ..         ..         ..         ..              £ 21.00


Driver

Combined Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers Licence        ..         ..               £ 56.50

Annual renewal of Drivers licence     ..         ..         ..         ..         ..                           £ 45.00

Drivers Badge replacement   ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..                           £ 8.50

Amending Licence     ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..                           £ 10.00


Private Hire

Annual Vehicle Licence (Mechanical Test same as Hackney Carriage)    ..              £186.00

All transfers (except on renewal)       ..         ..         ..         ..         ..                          £ 31.50

Annual Operator’s Licence (with one vehicle)          ..         ..         ..         ..              £130.00

For every vehicle in excess of one     ..         ..         ..         ..         ..                          £ 10.00

Plates on grant of new licence           ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..              £ 21.00

Replacement of lost, stolen or broken plate  ..         ..         ..         ..                          £ 21.00

Amending licence       ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..         ..                          £ 10.00

 

NB:     The maximum charge for amending vehicle,

operator and driver Licences........£ 45.00


A copy of this Notice will be kept at the offices of the Council as set out below during normal office hours. If any person wishes to object to the above proposals the objection stating the grounds for making it should be made in writing to the undersigned not later than 21 March 2002.


If no objections are received, the above Licence Fees will come into operation on the 22 March 2002.


County Hall, High Street, Newport

St Nicholas, 58 St Johns Road, Newport

Ryde Library, George Street, Ryde

Civic Centre, The Broadway, Sandown


J Murphy

Senior Licensing Officer


ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL


LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 1976


Notice is hereby given that the Isle of Wight Council propose to introduce the following surcharge for use in Hackney Carriages in each of the areas of the former Urban District of Cowes, the former Borough of Newport, the former Borough of Ryde and the former Borough of South Wight, in accordance with Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.


From 0001 hours on the 31 December 1999 until 2359 hours on the 1 January 2000 all Hackney Carriage Drivers will be allowed to ask for a £6.00 surcharge for each journey.


A copy of the above may be inspected at Reception at County Hall, High Street, Newport and all Customer Information Centres during normal office hours. If any person wishes to object to the above surcharge, the objection, stating the grounds for making it, should be made, in writing to the undersigned, not later that Friday 19 November 1999.



John Murphy

Senior Licensing Officer


St Nicholas

58 St Johns Road

NEWPORT

Isle of Wight

P030 1LT