Thursday
18
April
Local taxi operators face a licence fee rise
10/12/2019 @ 01:05
Taxi operators in Newtown will see their licence fees increase from April.
Taxi licence fees will be going up in Powys unless there are objections during a consultation period.
At the meeting of Powys County Council’s planning, rights of way and taxi licensing committee, senior licensing officer, Sue Jones, explained the reasons why the rise is needed.
Ms Jones said: “We need you to consider the revised fees we have calculated for 2020. The fees are based on figures of applications’ time recording we did for the period from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019.
“During that period we had 60 odd new drivers which is fairly typical (as) we get 60 to 70 each year and lose an equal amount.
“Driver renewals are on a three-year cycle, although we have in the region of 500, around 150 renewed last year so it varies from year to year.
“Private hire are on a five-year cycle and we have a big bulk of those renewals coming in the next financial year for renewal.”
She added that the decision needed to be taken now as the changes need to be advertised in local newspapers for 28 days.
Ms Jones added “We need to start the process now, as if there are any objections, we need to bring them back before you. If there are no objections we will run with those from April.”
The motion was voted through unanimously.
The changes to the fees are:
· Vehicles (1 year) Hackney carriage private hire from £138 to £148.
· Driver licence (3 years) from £247.50 to £260, and this does not include the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check fee.
· Driver licence (1 year) from £140 to £150, and this does not include the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check fee;
· Private Hire Operators (5 years) from £398 to £405, again this does not include the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check fee.
· Knowledge/Competency test from £38 to £40.
Fees are used for:
· Cost of material such as making the plate and/or badge;
· Cost of processing the licence;
· Cost of sub-committee hearings to consider individual license/application;
· Administration costs such as training, meeting, questions, complaints and compliance checks.
Taxi licence fees will be going up in Powys unless there are objections during a consultation period.
At the meeting of Powys County Council’s planning, rights of way and taxi licensing committee, senior licensing officer, Sue Jones, explained the reasons why the rise is needed.Ms Jones said: “We need you to consider the revised fees we have calculated for 2020. The fees are based on figures of applications’ time recording we did for the period from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019.
“During that period we had 60 odd new drivers which is fairly typical (as) we get 60 to 70 each year and lose an equal amount.
“Driver renewals are on a three-year cycle, although we have in the region of 500, around 150 renewed last year so it varies from year to year.
“Private hire are on a five-year cycle and we have a big bulk of those renewals coming in the next financial year for renewal.”
She added that the decision needed to be taken now as the changes need to be advertised in local newspapers for 28 days.
Ms Jones added “We need to start the process now, as if there are any objections, we need to bring them back before you. If there are no objections we will run with those from April.”
The motion was voted through unanimously.
The changes to the fees are:
· Vehicles (1 year) Hackney carriage private hire from £138 to £148.
· Driver licence (3 years) from £247.50 to £260, and this does not include the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check fee.
· Driver licence (1 year) from £140 to £150, and this does not include the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check fee;
· Private Hire Operators (5 years) from £398 to £405, again this does not include the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check fee.
· Knowledge/Competency test from £38 to £40.
Fees are used for:
· Cost of material such as making the plate and/or badge;
· Cost of processing the licence;
· Cost of sub-committee hearings to consider individual license/application;
· Administration costs such as training, meeting, questions, complaints and compliance checks.
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service
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