Agenda item

(A)         In accordance with article 5 of this minute, the Committee received a deputation from Mr Graeme McColl, Aberdeen Taxi Centre in relation to item 9.2 (Taxi Fare Review) on the agenda

Mr McColl advised that Aberdeen Taxi Group agreed with parts of the report especially in respect to the rise in costs over the last few years.  It was Aberdeen Taxi Group’s opinion that costs had actually risen by more than the report stated as although the trade used the same formula they did not agree with where some of the information now came from.  Also, he highlighted that some of the information was now outdated and stated that using information from 2014 was not ideal.  However, they accepted that until the formula was changed then there was little that could be done at this time.

Mr McColl advised that they had expressed at a meeting of the Taxi and Private Hire Consultation Group that the fare structure should not contain 2 and 1 pence pieces and expressed his disappointment that this aspect did not seem to have been taken in to consideration. In this regard, he asked that this be looked at and the increase worked out on reducing the yardage.  He explained that the Aberdeen Taxi Group felt that this would be the best working practice for a taxi driver.

Finally, he intimated that the Aberdeen Taxi Group agreed that it should only be the basic tariff that was increased and that all extras should stay the same. 

(B)       With reference to article 17 of the minute of the meeting of the Licensing Committee of 17 April 2018, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Governance which presented evidence from a consultation to allow it to reach an informed decision on any changes to be made to the current taxi fare tariff and comply with its duty to review taxi fares under section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)          consider the report and any representations made by members of the taxi trade and the public to the consultation (Appendix 3);

(b)          agree to either Option A or Option B as the proposed scales to be advertised for the taxi fare review in terms of section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982;

(c)          instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to amend the fare card at surcharge 5 to reflect the holiday dates for 2019 and 2020;

(d)          instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to advertise the proposed scales agreed in a newspaper circulating in its area for at least one month together with the general effect of the proposed scales and the date when it was proposed that they would take effect; and

(e)          agree to amend the previous decision of 17 April 2018 and to instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to submit a report to the special meeting of the Licensing Committee on 9 July 2018 on the outcome of the consultation on the proposed scales and seeking a final decision on the future taxi fare levels to be adopted from 22 July 2018.

The Committee resolved:

(i)         to consider the report and any representations made by members of the taxi trade and the public to the consultation (Appendix 3);

(ii)        to agree that the option to increase the current basic tariff by 5% by amending the first 940 yard to £2.50 instead of 950 yard at £2.52 and for each additional 258 yards to 30p be advertised as the proposed scales for the taxi fare review in terms of section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982;

(iii)       to instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to amend the fare card at surcharge 5 to reflect the holiday dates for 2019 and 2020;

(iv)       to instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to advertise the proposed scales agreed in a newspaper circulating in its area for at least one month together with the general effect of the proposed scales and the date when it is proposed that they will take effect; and

(v)        to amend the previous decision of 17 April 2018 and to instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to submit a report to the special meeting of the Licensing Committee on 9 July 2018 on the outcome of the consultation on the proposed scales and seeking a final decision on the future taxi fare levels to be adopted from 22 July 2018.