Agenda and draft minutes

Announcement on procedural matters.

The Chair opened the meeting, introduced Committee Members and Officers in attendance, and outlined procedural matters of the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillors Funnell and White.

Councillor Atwood did not attend the meeting.

To receive any declarations of interest by members in items on the agenda.  For any advice on declarations of interest, please contact the Monitoring Officer.

There were no declarations of interest made.

Members and the public should indicate which item(s) they wish to speak on and the nature of their concern/question/request for clarification.

Mr Shujaullah Baraki was registered to speak on Agenda Item 6 (Objection to a request for a Hackney Carriage Fare Increase)

No amendments were proposed to the Minutes

RESOLVED – That that the minutes of the previous meeting dated 5 April 2022 be approved as a correct record.

Sharon Degiorgio, Senior Licensing Officer, introduced the report as set out in the Agenda.

Registered Speaker – Mr Shujaullah Baraki

Questions and discussion from members included:

-       Mr Baraki clarified the objection that he had made, which included some reduction to the original fares he sought in his objection. This was discussed and considered by members of the Licensing Committee.

-       In relation to comparing fares with other Local Authorities, it was noted that Tunbridge Wells sat within the upper Quartile of the country for cost. Tunbridge Wells was ranked 40^th at the present time. If Mr already approved increases were made, this was to rise to 10th. With Mr Baraki’s proposed increases from his written objection, Tunbridge Wells was to be ranked 7^th highest fares.

-       It was suggested that as one of the priorities of the Borough Partnership was a vibrant town centre, raising taxi fares too high was likely to put some people off coming into the town centre.

-       Members were advised that any agreed fare rise only set a maximum drivers could charge for fares, so if the prices reduced custom, the trade could decide to lower their fares if they wished.

-       As oil prices were fluctuating and fuel prices could have reduced, it was agreed that a review of fares after a set period was appropriate.

RESOLVED –

1. The Licensing Committee considered the objection, as modified at the hearing, and agreed to increase the tables of fares in line with that.
2. The Licensing Committee agreed to further review the table of fares in a period of six months.

To consider any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent, for the reasons to be stated, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There was no Urgent Business discussed at the meeting.

The next meeting of the Licensing Committee was scheduled for Tuesday 18 October 2022.