Agenda item

To review the deferred decision made during the previous Cabinet meeting on 30^th September 2024 and consider the results following a further consultation with the Taxi trade.

Members considered the Taxi Tariff report presented by Councillor Hoy.

Councillor Hoy proposed that the tariff remain unchanged and be reviewed again in another year. Her opinion is that this is a mistake; she is aware that some people have claimed she has an interest in this but that is not the case. She does not drive a taxi, she does not intend to drive one, she is not related to anyone that does and only occasionally has used one. If drivers are stopped from being able to charge the fare that they need to charge, they will not be a taxi driver anymore and she believes that holding the fares will only help private hire and she predicts that in a year there will be very few hackney carriage drivers left. However, the Council said it would listen to what people wanted and this is what they claim to have wanted, hence her proposal.

Councillor Boden thanked Councillor Hoy and responded that it is a fundamental point of local government that when setting the maximum tariff for hackney carriages, the Council listens to the public, particularly those who use taxis, and the hackney carriage trade itself and not act off its own bat.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Tierney commented that this is a sad situation that has arisen out of fabrication and an attempt to manipulate the trade. The Council does not control the trade, and no one has to charge the maximum fare. He believes that the issue has been manipulated for political purposes. This does not affect the Council but is a death knell for the hackney trade and private hire cars will thrive as a result.

·         Councillor Benney said he did not understand why the Council should even be involved in setting the maximum fee, this is interference in private commerce, and they should be left to sort their own fees out. The trade should charge what they want and advertise their own rates; this would prevent Fenland District Council from being unfairly accused.

·         Councillor Tierney said Councillor Benney had made an important point; some of the hackney carriage laws are over a century old. It is human nature to want to protect your livelihood and drivers are nervous about the onset of Uber. He agreed that setting the fare should be reviewed in a year’s time and does not know if it is legally possible for the Council to step down from setting the fares, but it is a bizarre situation and one he would ask officers to look at. 

Following a vote, a majority of members did not support the proposed fee increase. A further vote followed in which a majority of members did support a further review of the proposals and agreed the timeframe of a year. 

Proposed by Councillor Hoy, seconded by Councillor Tierney and AGREED to take no action at this time and determined that a further review should take place in a year’s time.