Decision details

To modify the Taxi Licensing Policy: Hackney Carriages & Private Hire Vehicles (CCTV Supplement) to include the following condition:
At times when the vehicle is being used to facilitate a Local Government contract for the transportation of children or vulnerable adults; the driver must ensure that the system is being used in compliance with that contract (i.e. if the contract stipulates that a CCTV system must not be in operation, the system must be switched off). At all other times the CCTV system must be switched on.

The Council’s Taxi Licensing Policy: Hackney Carriages & Private Hire Vehicles (CCTV Supplement) conflicts with the policies and contract terms of other Local Authorities (most notably Derbyshire County Council) in relation to contracts for the transportation of children and vulnerable adults.

Having considered this information, it is necessary to modify the Taxi Licensing Policy: Hackney Carriages & Private Hire Vehicles (CCTV Supplement) for the following reasons:

• to ensure the taxi licensing trade are not prohibited from carrying out contracts for the transportation of children and vulnerable adults (‘contracts’)

• to ensure the taxi licensing trade can continue to make a vital and positive contribution to the County’s transport network

• to ensure the Council’s licensed vehicles can continue to operate CCTV when they are not carrying out contracts.

This is only intended to be a temporary measure whilst the other local authorities review their taxi contracts.

1. Not to amend the Policy and require all licensed vehicles to have CCTV installed and always in operation whilst working:
This was rejected as this would prevent the licensed trade from carrying out contracts and have a detrimental effect on the County’s transport network.

2. To amend the Policy to exempt any licensed vehicle from having CCTV installed where it is used to carry out contracts:
This was rejected as licensed vehicles are often used to carry out other types of work in addition to contracts. The Council has deemed CCTV necessary for public safety and to make this amendment goes against the objectives of the Policy.

3. To amend the Policy to exempt licensed vehicles from having CCTV installed where they are used for contracts; but on the condition that they are not used for any other type of work.
This was rejected as this does not provide a solution for licensed vehicles used for many types of work. To insist that a licensed vehicle is either used solely for contracts or not is restrictive for businesses with a small fleet of vehicles. Any business used solely for contracts should be considered by the licensing sub-committee.