Issue - meetings

The Council was responsible for issuing the various types of taxi licenses, namely driver, vehicle and operator licenses for the hackney carriage and private hire trade. The different types of licence expired at the same time of year, e.g. all hackney carriage vehicle licences at the end of January, while those for private hire vehicles ran to the end of March. However, such fees were not charged pro-rata and were non-refundable.

A report was submitted which highlighted unfairness of this system for new applicants. This was also the case for those who, due to the pandemic, had let their licences lapse and wished to renew later. The resource challenges of processing new licences and renewals at the same time of year were also acknowledged. A more business friendly approach was proposed whereby a licence could be granted at any time of year and could be renewed annually thereafter. The report explained that new software would assist officers to manage the process.  The various taxi licensing fees for 2021/22 were also presented for Members’ information.

In response to the debate, Officers confirmed that there was no cap on the number of taxi licences issued in Tandridge. The imbalance in the number of taxis servicing different locations was discussed, notwithstanding the fact that licenses enabled drivers / operators to seek trade anywhere in the District. Officers agreed to provide advice to Members in due course regarding the powers available to Councils to restrict the number of licences in their arars.  

            R E S O L V E D – that the current procedure be changed so that all new      hackney carriage and private hire licences will expire at the end of the full    licence term on the anniversary of grant in line with the majority of other          councils in Surrey.