Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Development and Safety

RESOLVED THAT

1.    The amendments to Appendix J of the council’s adopted “Relevance of Convictions, Cautions and Fixed Penalty Notices in Relation to the Licensing of Drivers and Operators” policy as set out in Appendix 2 of this report be approved.

2.    An amendment to the council’s adopted Licensing Policy, Guidance and Conditions for Private Hire and Taxis Operating within the Borough of Cheltenham to introduce a new mandatory requirement for all new and licensed drivers to undertake safeguarding training be approved.

3.    Authority be delegated to the Director of Environment (in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Development & Safety) to take the necessary steps to implement the training and the date when the new mandatory policy requirement is to come into effect.

The Cabinet Member Development and Safety introduced the report and explained that the council had a statutory duty to ensure all of its licensed hackney carriage and private hire drivers and operators were, and remained fit and proper people.  The council was committed to keeping its policies under review to ensure they continued to be effective and comply with the latest guidance and national best practice. He reported that consultation with the licensed trade was undertaken with the trade last September proposing minor technical changes to the council’s convictions policy and to introduce mandatory safeguarding training for licensed drivers. These changes were highlighted in Appendix 2.

The Cabinet Member highlighted the fact that from the consultation feedback officers had decided not to move ahead with the third proposal for new style licences.

The Leader added that licensing taxis was an important issue for the town. Further consideration of driver identification was sensible and this would potentially be brought forward for approval in due course.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    The amendments to Appendix J of the council’s adopted “Relevance of Convictions, Cautions and Fixed Penalty Notices in Relation to the Licensing of Drivers and Operators” policy as set out in Appendix 2 of this report be approved.

2.    An amendment to the council’s adopted Licensing Policy, Guidance and Conditions for Private Hire and Taxis Operating within the Borough of Cheltenham to introduce a new mandatory requirement for all new and licensed drivers to undertake safeguarding training be approved.

3.    Authority be delegated to the Director of Environment (in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Development & Safety) to take the necessary steps to implement the training and the date when the new mandatory policy requirement is to come into effect.