PAPER B

Committee: FIRE & PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE

Date: 21 OCTOBER 2002

Title: DEZONING OF TAXIS

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR FOR FINANCE &

INFORMATION & COUNTY TREASURER

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

To invite the Fire & Public Safety Select Committee to consider the results of a formal consultation into dezoning of taxis following the Committee’s resolution at a meeting on the 20 May 2002.

BACKGROUND

1. The Fire & Public Safety Select Committee embarked on an investigation into dezoning taxis early last year. On the 30 April 2001 the Select Committee resolved that dezoning be referred to a Hackney Carriage Working Party.

2. The Hackney Carriage Working Party has regular meetings with the Isle of Wight Taxi Proprietors Association. The Association has appointed 5 representatives to attend Working Party meetings.

3. At the Select Committee on the 20 May 2002 consideration was given to a further round of consultation to investigate taxi dezoning.

4. It was reported that the Isle of Wight Taxi Proprietors Association was not in favour of dezoning.

5. Individual trade comments received in response to this consultation set out percieved advantages and disadvantages of a single licensing area or ‘zone’ (Appendix 1).

6. If dezoning is recommended to the Executive and subsequently supported it will be necessary to submit the results of consultations with interested parties, and the appropriate Council reports to the Secretary of State for Transport for consideration. Dezoning can only go ahead if the Secretary of State grants approval.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

1. The Select Committee’s attention is drawn to Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 which requires local authorities to consider the crime & disorder implications of ALL their activities. This is a corporate responsibility of the authority.

2. Members are advised that this issue should be considered against a background of the implications of the Human Rights Act 1998.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The consultation process requested in May 2002 is within the estimated cost of £2000.

OPTIONS

(1) To note this report and take no action.

(2) To recommend to the Executive that a single zone for taxi licensing on the Isle of Wight be adopted and that a formal submission to this effect be presented to the Secretary of State for Transport.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That option 2 be agreed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. An advert requesting public comment on dezoning was inserted in the Isle of Wight County Press on 6 September 2002. No public comments have been received.

2. Approximately 1000 questionnaires with prepaid envelopes were sent to 82 taxi proprietors for them to distribute to their customers. Only 96 questionnaires were returned, 66.7% were opposed to dezoning, 31.2% supported and 2.1% did not express an opinion (see Appendix 2).

3. All 27 Parish & Town Councils’ were asked for written comments (copy of letter is set out at appendix 3). To date 14 have responded, details are below:-

Remain zoned Trial period Dezone Further work

3 3 7 1

(replies are attached at Appendix 4)

4. The Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce recently reaffirmed its support for dezoning if it means added value to customers, which it suspects would very much be the case.

5. Members may recall a previous dezoning investigation in late 2000 and early 2001. One part of this was a survey carried out by MORI. The result showed 58% of respondents support dezoning in some way whilst 29% oppose it and 24% have not decided (see Appendix 5).

6. Anecdotally it appears that many members of the public do not really understand taxi zoning and/or are not interested as long as there is good quality, fairly priced, safe local taxi service.

7. Four other Councils that have dezoned in the last 12 years or so were contacted and none of these identified any disadvantages in such action.

8. Objections from some of the trade to a single licensing zone rests in part on an expectation that there would be an influx of taxis to busier areas, at peak times and a reduction of taxis in quiet areas would follow. Officers believe that service quality will be maintained through ongoing work of the Council’s Licensing Panel and diligent enforcement.

9. Consultation with the trade is ongoing. Officers have invited the Association to submit a consensus view for the Select Committee’s consideration.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

Returned customer questionnaires (September 2002).

MORI Poll results (2000/2001).

Hackney Carriage dezoning file from December 2000 to date.

Contact Point: John Murphy x 8152

Rob Owen x 8388

J Pulsford

Strategic Director for Finance & Information & County Treasurer