Taxi concerns prompt licensing change
A concerned Coventry councillor admits he ‘can’t get his head around’ the fact that there are no written reports following serious incidents involving the city’s taxi drivers.
Cllr Ed Ruane made his comments during a discussion on whether drivers should have to install CCTV in their cabs.
There was also frustration that the work of a task and finish group into the matter had been ‘trumped’ by a recently announced government consultation with a report from officers explaining that findings nationally could have an impact on proposals put forward by the group locally.
The report said: “Although there was no specific timeline and some of the details were still to be announced it was noted this could impact and recontextualise any recommendations made by the task and finish group on taxi licensing requirements. The consultation (which runs until April) focuses on identifying the right level of regulation for taxis and whether local transport authorities should be responsible for taxi and PHV licensing as proposed in the English Devolution White Paper.”
Cllr John McNicholas, co-chair of the city council’s task and finish group, said: “The Government is conducting a consultation and I guess that trumps what we were seeking to achieve. I know there are very strong views in committee about the use of CCTV in taxis and I would recommend that committee write to the task and finish group with their views.”
But Cllr Ruane said: “The consultation doesn’t really mention very much about CCTV and that was the whole purpose of this task and finish group. It came about because of what I had read in the paper of a woman who was sexually assaulted in the back of a black cab in Coventry.
“Not a single member was notified or made aware of it in writing and it turns out that you don’t even collect the data or submit written reports when any acts of violence or incidents take place, either to the driver or member of the public, so I have no idea how we measure safeguarding and things like that.
“I beg members around the table to ensure public safety is key to what we are doing because not having any written reporting mechanism in the council is something I can’t get my head around.”
Cllr Christine Thomas challenged some of those comments. She said: “I think Ed is a little bit confused here. Just to put the record straight, and speaking as deputy chair of the licensing and regulatory committee, we absolutely do have data on hand. The report might not say that but the council does have records.”
Councillors agreed to formalise the process for reporting taxi licence revocations to ensure the licensing committee are kept informed. They also agreed to formally respond to the Government’s consultation concerning taxi licensing regulations and to send a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, the West Midlands Mayor, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Safeguarding Minister requesting clear timescales for progress following the public consultation.