Agenda item

To agree to initiate a public consultation on the request received from a group of hackney carriage vehicle licence holders to increase the hackney carriage fares.

Resolved:

1.1 That approval be given to consult on the request received from a group of hackney carriage vehicle licence holders to increase the hackney carriage fares by means of an advert in the local press and via a public notice in Council buildings.

1.2 That, in connection to 1.1 above, in the event that no objections are received, the proposed increases as set out in the report, to come into effect on the date stated within the advert.

1.3 That, in the event that objections are received and are not withdrawn, a further report be submitted to Cabinet for those objections to be considered.

Approval was sought to agree to initiate a public consultation on the request received from a group of hackney carriage vehicle licence holders to increase the hackney carriage fares.

Reason for Decision

The Council sets the fares for Hackney Carriage Vehicles and any request for an increase was usually submitted by the Trade.  The last time that the fares were increased in Sandwell was November 2013. 

Charges for private hire vehicles were set by each Private Hire Operator and varied between operators. They could also be lower or higher at peak times than the hackney carriage fares. 

The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 under Section 65 requires that when a request was received,  a notice was published in a local newspaper inviting objections and, in the event that no objections were received, the change of fares comes into effect on a date specified in the notice. The setting of fares was an executive function and was brought to Cabinet for consideration to proceed with the public consultation as outlined in the Act.

Licensing Committee met on 24 February 2022 to discuss the proposed changes and Committee were in support of consultation on the proposed fare increase. 

Alternative Options Considered

By virtue of Section 65 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous) Provisions Act 1976 there are no alternative options other than to consult upon the request received by hackney carriage vehicle licence holders, and in the event of no objections being received to adopt the fare increase proposal made.  In the event that objections are received, a further report would be brought to Cabinet for consideration.

Agreed:-

(1)     that approval be given to consult on the request received from a group of hackney carriage vehicle licence holders to increase the hackney carriage fares by means of an advert in the local press and via a public notice in Council buildings;

(2)     that, in connection to Resolution (1) above, in the event that no objections are received, the proposed increases as set out below, to come into effect on the date stated within the advert:

(3)     that, in the event that objections are received and are not withdrawn, a further report be submitted to Cabinet for those objections to be considered.