Agenda Document Pack - Licensing Committee - 07/09/2022
Moray Council · 7 September 2022
Back to Licensing Committee — 7 September 2022 and its agenda
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Licensing Committee Wednesday, 07 September 2022 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Licensing Committee is to be held at Council Chambers, Council Office, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX on Wednesday, 07 September 2022 at 09:30. BUSINESS 1. Sederunt 2. Declaration of Group Decisions and Members Interests * 3. Resolution Consider, and if so decide, adopt the following resolution: "That under Section 50A (4) and (5) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, as amended, the public and media representatives be excluded from the meeting for Items 8, 9 and 10 of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information of the class described in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act.” 4. Minute of the Meeting of the Licensing Committee of 22 June 2022 5 - 8 5. Written Questions ** 6. Mandatory Taxi Fare Review Report by Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) 9 - 36 7. Question Time *** Consider any oral question on matters delegated to the Committee in terms of the Council's Scheme of Administration. Page 1
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Item(s) which the Committee may wish to consider with the Press and Public excluded 8. Registration of Private Landlords • Information relating to action taken, or to be taken, in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. 9. Case No SHD-22-001 • Information relating to action taken, or to be taken, in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. 10 Case No STD-22-002 • Information relating to action taken, or to be taken, in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. Page 2
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GUIDANCE NOTES * Declaration of Group Decisions and Members Interests - The Chair of the meeting shall seek declarations from any individual or political group at the beginning of a meeting whether any prior decision has been reached on how the individual or members of the group will vote on any item(s) of business on the Agenda, and if so on which item(s). A prior decision shall be one that the individual or the group deems to be mandatory on the individual or the group members such that the individual or the group members will be subject to sanctions should they not vote in accordance with the prior decision. Any such prior decisions will be recorded in the Minute of the meeting. ** Written Questions - Any Member can put one written question about any relevant and competent business within the specified remits not already on the agenda, to the Chair provided it is received by the Proper Officer or Committee Services by 12 noon two working days prior to the day of the meeting. A copy of any written answer provided by the Chair will be tabled at the start of the relevant section of the meeting. The Member who has put the question may, after the answer has been given, ask one supplementary question directly related to the subject matter, but no discussion will be allowed. No supplementary question can be put or answered more than 10 minutes after the Council has started on the relevant item of business, except with the consent of the Chair. If a Member does not have the opportunity to put a supplementary question because no time remains, then he or she can submit it in writing to the Proper Officer who will arrange for a written answer to be provided within 7 working days. *** Question Time - At each ordinary meeting of the Committee ten minutes will be allowed for Members questions when any Member of the Committee can put a question to the Chair on any business within the remit of that Section of the Committee. The Member who has put the question may, after the answer has been given, ask one supplementary question directly related to the subject matter, but no discussion will be allowed. No supplementary question can be put or answered more than ten minutes after the Committee has started on the relevant item of business, except with the consent of the Chair. If a Member does not have the opportunity to put a supplementary question because no time remains, then he/she can submit it in writing to the proper officer who will arrange for a written answer to be provided within seven working days. Page 3
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THE MORAY COUNCIL Licensing Committee SEDERUNT Councillor Paul McBain (Chair) Councillor Peter Bloomfield (Depute Chair) Councillor James Allan (Member) Councillor Neil Cameron (Member) Councillor Tracy Colyer (Member) Councillor Theresa Coull (Member) Councillor John Divers (Member) Councillor Jérémie Fernandes (Member) Councillor Donald Gatt (Member) Councillor Juli Harris (Member) Councillor Kathleen Robertson (Member) Councillor Ben Williams (Member) Clerk Name: Lindsey Robinson Clerk Telephone: 07966 120593 Clerk Email: committee.services@moray.gov.uk Page 4
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MORAY COUNCIL Minute of Meeting of the Licensing Committee Wednesday, 22 June 2022 Council Chambers, Council Office, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX PRESENT Councillor James Allan, Councillor Peter Bloomfield, Councillor Neil Cameron, Councillor Tracy Colyer, Councillor John Divers, Councillor Jérémie Fernandes, Councillor Donald Gatt, Councillor Juli Harris, Councillor Paul McBain, Councillor Kathleen Robertson, Councillor Ben Williams APOLOGIES Councillor Theresa Coull IN ATTENDANCE Also in attendance were Sean Hoath, Senior Solicitor, Sana Sawar, Legal Advisor, Lindsey Robinson, Committee Services Officer, as Clerk to the Committee, all Moray Council, Sergeant Neil Grant, Police Scotland. 1. Chair Councillor Paul McBain, as Chair of the Licensing Committee, chaired the meeting. 2. Declaration of Group Decisions and Members Interests * In terms of Standing Order 20 and the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, there were no declarations from Group Leaders or Spokespersons in regard to any prior decisions taken on how Members will vote on any item on the agenda or any declarations of Member’s interests in respect of any item on the agenda. 3. Resolution The Meeting resolved that under Section 50A (4) and (5) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, as amended, the public and media representatives be excluded from the meeting for item 8 of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information of the class described in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act. Paragraph Number of Minute Paragraph Number of Schedule 7a and Reason 8 14 - Information relating to any action taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime. 4. Minute of Meeting 23 March 2022 The minute of the meeting of the Licensing Committee dated 23 March 2022 was submitted and approved. 5. Written Questions ** Page 5
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The Committee noted that no written questions had been submitted. 6. Short term lets A report by the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) informed the Committee of the requirement to introduce a new licensing regime for Short Term Lets in Moray and of the work in progress to deliver this and sought agreement to recommend to Council for an amendment to the existing Scheme of Delegation to deal with the new licence type. Following consideration, the Committee agreed to: i. note the requirement to introduce a new licensing regime; ii. note the ongoing work to progress this iii. note the short timescale and the potential additional resource requirements to implement a complete new regime; iv. note and agree a light touch approach to the introduction of the licensing regime with the requirement to keep the matter under review; and v. recommend to the Council that the Scheme of Delegation be amended to include short term lets. 7. Question Time *** The Committee noted that no further questions were asked. 8. Application For Grant of a Taxi Driver Licence TD-22-003 A report by the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) asked the Committee to consider an application for the grant of a taxi driver licence received on 9 May 2022 subject to an adverse representation received from a consultee. The Senior Solicitor introduced the report and confirmed to the Committee that as the licensing authority the Committee must consider each application within 3 months of its having been made and reach a final decision on it within a further 6 months and therefore should the Committee require further time to consider this case it could be deferred to the next meeting with a final decision being made by 9 February 2023. The Committee noted that the applicant was in attendance. The Chief Superintendent was represented by Sergeant Neil Grant, Police Scotland. On the invitation of the Chair, Sergeant Grant addressed the Committee and responded to questions from Members. On the invitation of the Chair, the applicant addressed the Committee and responded to questions from Members Both the applicant and Sergeant Grant confirmed that they had received a fair hearing from the Committeee Page 6
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Councillor Allan, seconded by Councillor Bloomfield, moved that the licence be granted. There being no one otherwise minded, the application was granted. Page 7
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REPORT TO: LICENSING COMMITTEE ON 07 SEPTEMBER 2022 SUBJECT: CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982-MANDATORY REVIEW OF TAXI FARES AND CHARGES BY: DEPUTE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (EDUCATION, COMMUNITIES AND ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT) 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1 This report asks the Committee to consider the outcome of the recent taxi fare consultation and either resolve to keep taxi fares the same or formulate a set of alternative proposals for the maximum fares and charges applicable to taxis. There are no powers delegated to officers in this regard. 1.2 This report is submitted to Committee in terms of Section III H (1) of the Council's Scheme of Administration relating to the exercise of the function of the Council as licensing authority for the Moray Council area. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee, in accordance with the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982: i. Considers the views expressed in the various responses to the consultation process; ii. Approve a fare structure for implementation on 29 December 2022 which would either be the existing fare structure or an alternative structure formulated by the Committee for the maximum fares and charges applicable to taxis in Moray; iii. If it is agreed the current fare structure should remain in place, instruct the Head of Governance Strategy and Performance to publish the fare structure and issue a new fare card to all operators; iv. If an alternative structure is formulated, instruct the Head of Governance Strategy and Performance to proceed to either, publish the fare structure and issue a new fare card to all operators or to first conduct a further consultation on proposals before final approval.; and v. In the event of alternative proposals and further consultation being agreed to, considers the views expressed in the formal consultation Page 9
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at its next scheduled meeting in order to approve a revised fare structure. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 In terms of section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, the Council, as taxi licensing authority for the Moray Council area, is required to review the fees and charges in connection with the hire of taxis in its area. The fare card, as it is known, requires to be reviewed within 18 months beginning with the date that the previous fare card came into effect. The previous fare card was implemented on 29 June 2021. The fares and charges set are the maximum that can be charged so that, if the taxi operator so chooses, she/he/they may charge less. The current maximum fares and charges, attached at Appendix 1, were agreed by this Committee at its meeting on 9 June 2021 (Paragraph 9 of the Minute refers), and came into effect on 29 June 2021. A review therefore needs to be completed by 29 December 2022. 3.2 In reviewing the fares, and before setting new ones, the licensing authority is required to undertake the following process: • review the existing scales and propose new ones (whether at altered rates or the same rates); • carry out a formal consultation inviting any person to lodge representations in writing to the Council and thereafter, consider any representations received and fix new maximum fares and charges; and • Inform operators off the decision, implementation date and the right of appeal. 3.3 Although not a requirement, it has been past practice to precede this process with informal consultation with taxi operators, undertaken by licensing officers, that is then reported to Committee and used by it when formulating proposals for new fares and charges upon which the formal public consultation is carried out. An informal consultation was started on June 17 2022 and an invitation to respond was sent to all licensed Operators 4. CONSULTATION WITH TAXI OPERATORS 4.1 There are currently 94 licensed taxi operators in Moray. Licensing officers have specifically issued information to all of them seeking their views on current fares and charges and any proposals for change. The consultation was also published on the licensing pages of the Council’s website and publicised through social media. The consultation ran from 17 June 2022 to 29 July 2022 and a small number of responses have been received. Consultation comments received have been collated and the responses along with a summary appears in Appendix 2. 5. PROPOSALS FOR MAXIMUM FARES AND CHARGES 5.1 The Committee is invited to agree to retain the current set of charges or to formulate a new set of proposals for the maximum fares and charges applicable to taxis in Moray, considering any responses received in the informal consultation process. Page 10
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5.2 To assist the Committee attention is drawn to the following information and considerations: 5.2.1 The responses from the consultation process are contained in Appendix 2. The balance of views clearly favour raising the current fares to reflect the increased cost of fuel and running a taxi. 5.2.2 Table showing the Taxi Fare Review history from October 2002 to June 2021 is attached at Appendix 3 of this report. 5.2.3 A report comparing the cost of fuel across the UK which accounts for the largest proportion of costs when running a vehicle is attached at Appendix 4. That report has been prepared by the Automobile Association (“the AA”) on June 30 2022. While the report produced by the AA has no official status, it may be instructive for the purpose of this review. The report for 2021 has also been included for comparison.. Although Appendix 4 provides the Committee with an indication of the cost of fuel, the Committee should also be mindful of standing charges and other running costs that relate to running a vehicle. These include the loss in value of a vehicle (depreciation), car insurance and car tax together with the day-to-day running costs of the vehicle which involves servicing, repairs and parking and tolls. Previously, the AA provided a summary of the various costs involved in running a vehicle. However, these reports are no longer provided by the AA, and as such officers are unable to provide any reports that illustrate the current rates for standing charges and day-to-day running costs. The Committee is invited to give due consideration to the inevitable need to meet these costs taking into consideration the rising cost of goods and services in the UK illustrated in Appendix 10 and further discussed at clause 5.2.8 below. 5.2.4 The current fare card is attached at Appendix 1. The current fee scale for taxi licences is reproduced below. It is detailed here as an additional expense of running a licensed vehicle. Licences last for 3 years typically so this is a 3 year cost:- Copy of a Licence £22 Taxi Booking Office (4 or more cars) £515 Taxi/Private Hire - Driver Grant £243 Taxi/Private Hire - Driver Renewal £197 Taxi/Private Hire - Vehicle (Operator) £422 Variation of any Taxi/Private Hire Licence £28 Licence Plates £22 non-refundable Vehicle Substitution £353 5.2.5 Copies of the taxi fares and charges applicable in the Highland, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Council areas are also produced for comparison purposes (Appendices 5, 6 and 7 respectively). 5.2.6 For illustrative purposes, based on the current maximum fares the cost of a standard 5-mile taxi journey in the Moray Council area would be £15.60 (standard), £16.60 (late night), £17.30 (Bank Holidays) and £29.85 (Festive period). For comparison in the Highland Council these charges would be Page 11
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£11.20 (Standard), £14.10 (late night), £16.80 (Bank holidays) and £21.00 (Festive period). Note: A call from the trade has requested that Highland Licensing Committee call an early review due to increased fuel process and running costs and Aberdeenshire have confirmed that their Taxi fare review began at the end of August 2022. 5.2.7 There are also attached tables showing National Minimum Wages Rates (Appendix 8) and Wages in Moray (Appendix 9). 5.2.8 The Consumer Price Index (CPI) continues to be a National Statistic and is a measure of consumer price inflation produced to international standards and in line with European regulations. The CPI is the inflation measure used in the Government’s target for inflation. The CPI is also used for purposes such as uprating pensions, wages and benefits and can aid in the understanding of inflation on family budgets. A table showing the Consumer Price Index % change is shown in Appendix 10. The fuller bulletin is available using this link https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerp riceinflation/latest 5.2.9 The chart shown in Appendix 10 reflects the following main points: • The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs (CPIH) rose by 8.2% in the 12 months to June 2022, up from 7.9% in May. • The largest upward contributions to the annual CPIH inflation rate in June 2022 came from housing and household services (principally from electricity, gas and other fuels, and owner occupiers' housing costs) and transport (principally from motor fuels). • On a monthly basis, CPIH rose by 0.7% in June 2022, compared with a rise of 0.4% in June 2021. • The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 9.4% in the 12 months to June 2022, up from 9.1% in May. • On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.8% in June 2022, compared with a rise of 0.5% in June 2021. • Rising prices for motor fuels and food made the largest upward contributions to the change in both the CPIH and CPI 12-month inflation rates between May and June 2022. • The largest, partially offsetting downward contributions to change in the rates were from second-hand cars and audio-visual equipment (principally recording media). 5.2.10 Given that the owner occupiers' housing costs (OOH) component accounts for around 17% of the CPIH, it is the main driver for differences between the CPIH and CPI inflation rates. The inclusion of Council Tax and rates in CPIH is the only further difference in coverage. This makes CPIH our most comprehensive measure of inflation. While the coverage differs, the key drivers of the annual inflation rate are the same where they are common to both measures. The largest movements in the annual Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs (CPIH) inflation rate in June 2022 came from transport and food, a chart showing the various factors can be found in Appendix 10. The annual increase for transport was 15.2% in June 2022. Over the past two years, the annual rate has risen from minus 1.5% in Page 12
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June 2020 (during the first coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown) to the latest figure for June 2022. 5.2.11 The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs (CPIH) rose by 8.2% in the 12 months to June 2022, up from 7.9% in May. The annual rate was below 1.2% from April 2020, at the start of the first coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, to March 2021. The rate has since risen. The June 2022 figure is the highest recorded annual inflation rate in the National Statistic series, which began in January 2006. The rate was last higher in the constructed historical estimates in March 1991, when it stood at 8.3%. The largest contributions to the annual rate in June 2022 are from housing and household services, and transport 5.3 The recommendation is for consideration to be given to raising the current fare structure. This accords with the wishes of the respondents and the fares are the maximum that can be charged so market forces can encourage operators to charge lower fares than the maximum. 5.4 Nevertheless, should the Committee resolve to alter the fare structure in any way then the recommendation is to further publicly consult on the alternative proposals and bring the results back to the Committee at the next meeting for final determination. It is possible for the Committee to alter, finalise and immediately publish an alternative structure but further consultation is still recommended. It should be noted that if further consultation is required then the statutory review timescale requires to be met. In the event of further consultation the Committee is invited to: 5.4.1 Instruct the Head of Governance Strategy and Performance to proceed with a further public consultation on its agreed proposals for the maximum fares and charges, in such manner and In accordance with the timeline 5.4.2 Bring the results back to the next meeting of the Committee on the 16 November 2022 as scheduled for consideration and determination of a new fare scale. 6 SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS (a) Corporate Plan and 10 Year Plan (Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP)) The provisions of licensing directly relate to the priorities within the 10 Year Plan in relation to a growing and diverse economy and safer and healthier communities. The various licensable activities within industry all aid a growing economy in terms of production, retail and the positive effects on tourism. Regulation of the licensed activities contributes to a safer community by ensuring those providing licensable goods and services are fit to do so. (b) Policy and Legal The legal implications of a fare review are outlined above. (c) Financial implications Page 13
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The costs associated with the review of taxi fares are mainly considerable staff time as described below in staffing and outlays relating to production and distribution costs for new fare cards. This can be met from existing budgets. If the Committee chooses to alter the fare structure then it will be necessary to recalibrate all taxi meters. Any costs incurred by the Council’s Fleet Services section in relation to resealing the taxi meters (if necessary) will require to be met by taxi operators. The cost of recalibrating the taxi meters (if necessary) will also require to be met by taxi operators. On average the cost by a meter supplier to run and calibrate a meter (one of their own) over the measured mile costs £10, and a tariff update would be approximately £20. There will also be a £5 charge for fleet services to check the paperwork and reseal the meters. (d) Risk Implications There is a risk that any decision is open to an appeal. An appeal would be to the Traffic Commissioner and a further process may be specified/required as a result. If the fares are not set within the 18 month statutory timescale then the further delay may also result in an appeal and further process. These risks are mitigated by the fact that we have held a full informal consultation with the clear view of the majority of responses being to alter fares. We will also hold a full formal consultation should the committee decide to alter the fare structure based on the informal consultation responses, which will mitigate the risk of appeal further. There is 14 days to appeal from notice being given. The effect of an appeal would be to suspend any decision unless and until an appeal has been determined. For ease a proposed timeline is provided here: • Informal consultation 17/06/22 to 29/07/22 • Report and information to Committee 7/09/2022 • Further formal consultation on proposals ASAP after 7/09/22 • Formal Consultation end date 30/10/22 • Report to Committee 16/11/22 for final determination • Notice of Committee decision issued 17/11/22 • 2 weeks for appeal until 2 / 3 /12/22 • Long stop Implementation date 29/12/22 • Implement changes earlier because of Christmas so calibration and reseal of meters would be Wednesday 14 December 2022 on agreement with Fleet Services (e) Staffing Implications The only staffing implication arising from this report is in terms of the time taken to undertake consultation, draft the published information, compile the responses to the consultation, draft this Committee report Page 14
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and notify taxi operators of the outcome of the review. Whilst the time is considerable this can be met from existing resources. (f) Property There are no anticipated property implications arising from this report. (g) Equalities/Socio Economic Impact An equalities impact assessment is not required in connection with this report. This is because one of the recommendations of this report is for a public consultation to be undertaken in relation to the taxi fare review. (h) Climate Change and Biodiversity Impact There are no anticipated climate change or biodiversity implications arising from this report. (i) Consultations Consultation has taken place as described. Taxi operators and the public were invited to submit a response to the informal consultation. In the event the Committee determines to changes the fares then proposals recommended by the Committee will form the basis of further formal consultation with taxi operators and the public. 7. CONCLUSION 7.1 The Council, as licensing authority, must review the fare scale for taxi/PH operators every 18 months. Following the implementation of the fare card on 29 June 2021, the Council must review the fare scale by 29 December 2022, taking into consideration the relevant consultees views and determine whether the existing fare scales should remain the same or be altered. Given the date of this current review falling between Christmas and New Year we would propose that any decision made at the November 16 2022 Licensing Committee be implemented at the earliest possible date, which after allowing for the appeal process, would be Wednesday December 14 2022 Author of Report: Joanne Larsen (Governance, Strategy and Performance) Background Papers: None Ref: Page 15
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THE MORAY COUNCIL CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982 LICENSING OF TAXIS AND PRIVATE HIRE CARS MAXIMUM CHARGES APPLICABLE TO HIRE OF TAXIS AND PRIVATE HIRE CARS FITTED WITH TAXI METERS EXCLUSIVE HIRE THE DISTANCE FARE a) For the first 1760 yards (1 Mile) £3.60 b) For every additional 176 yards or part thereof (1/10th of a Mile) 30p EXTRAS (1) WAITING A sum calculated at the rate of £20.00 an hour. Waiting time to be charged 5 minutes after customer informed of arrival of taxi. (2) SURCHARGES (Only one surcharge can be charged for each journey) (a) For each hiring between 7.00 p.m. and 12 midnight on any day except Sundays, 24th, 25th, 26th, 31st December and 1st and 2nd January a surcharge of £1.00. (b) For each hiring between 12 midnight and 7.00 a.m. on any day except 25th, 26th and 27th December, 1st, 2nd and 3rd January a surcharge of £1.70 applies. (c) For each hiring between 7.00 a.m. and 12 midnight on Sundays and Bank Holidays a surcharge of £1.50 applies. (d) For each hiring between 7.00 p.m. on 24th to 7.00 a.m. on 27th December inclusive and between 7.00 p.m. on 31st December to 7.00 a.m. on 3rd January inclusive a surcharge of 50% on the basic fare, subject to a minimum fare (after allowing for the surcharge) of £6.45 . (3) For each hiring where more than four passengers are carried, a surcharge of 50% applies. (4) (5) For each hiring pre booked, a surcharge of £0.50 applies. A charge of £120.00 to every passenger fouling a taxi. Complaints: Any complaints regarding overcharging should be made in writing to the Moray Council Licensing department either by email to licensing@moray.gov.uk or by letter to Council Headquarters, High Street, Elgin IV30 1BX. The licence number of the vehicle or its driver and the name of the company (if any) should be quoted. ALASDAIR MCEACHAN Head of Governance, Strategy and Performance June 29th 2021 Explanatory Notes 1. The Council is required to set maximum fares and charges for journeys in Taxis and Private Hire Cars fitted with Taximeters that it licences. Fares are reviewed at regular intervals of no more than 18 months. There is opportunity for the public and trade to participate in the setting on the levels of fares proposed in any review and taxi operators have the right to appeal against the fares and charges set down by the Council before they come into operation. 2. Please note that a taxi driver is not required to take you on a journey ending outside the Moray boundary. If the driver does agree to take you out with Moray, these maximum fares do not apply and it is up to you to reach agreement with the driver as to the fare. You should do this before you start. 3. The maximum fare you are required to pay is the sum calculated in accordance with the fares and charges above. These only apply within Moray. 4. If you are asked to pay VAT then this should be included as part of the fare and please ask for a proper VAT receipt. 5. It is up to you to decide whether you wish to give the driver a tip. 6. It is a criminal offence for you to take a taxi journey without having the money to pay for it. Page 17
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Appendix 2 Comments received from Taxi Trade regarding Taxi Fare Review – Only 4 received / 94 sent Increase All of the responses suggested increasing the current fare card to reflect the increasing fuel costs. The Distance Fare 3 out of 4 responses requested an increase from £3.60 to £4 for first mile 2 out of 4 responses requested an additional cost on the 1/10th mile 1 x from .30p to .35p 1 x from .30p to .40p 1 out of 4 responses requested a 10% increase across all fares and surcharges as more may be unacceptable to customers Suggested New Tariffs Suggestion 1 Suggestion 2 £4.60 7am -7pm £5.60 7pm to 12am £6.00 12am to 7am 7am – 7pm £4.50 Mon – Sat 7pm - 7am £6.00 Mon – Sat Sunday all day rate £5.50 Holidays Christmas and New year rates should be £4.50 first mile then after first mile should be reduced to £2.50 (.25p 1/10th) EXTRAS 1 response requested an increase on waiting time charge to a sum calculated at the rate of £30.00 per hour SURCHARGES Suggestion 1 Suggestion 2 Suggestion 3 10% increase across all surcharges Surcharge 2A (7pm to 12am Mon- Sat) remain at £1 Surcharge 2B (12am to 7am anyday) increased from £1.70 to £1.80 Surcharge 2C – (Public Holidays and Sundays 7am to 12am) increased from £1.50 to £1.70 Surcharge 5 - Soiling charge to increase from £120 to £200, the reason being that if someone were to soil, the taxi is often off the road to allow the smell to be removed. None of the responses opted for no change Page 19
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Full Responses: Hello, My suggestions on Taxi fares; £4.60 from 7am to 7pm £5.60 from 7pm to 12pm £6.00 from 12pm to 7am £0.40(£4 per mile) £200 fouling on a Taxi I think that there should only be 2 daily rates one starting 7am to 7pm and Rate 1 should start at £4.50 and rate 2 should be from 7pm to 7am and should start at £6 Sunday rate should be £5.50 and Christmas and New year rates should be fare and a half the current £3.00 for each mile after the first mile should be reduced to £2.50 and all fares should rise in-line with inflation on a annual basis. I would like to see an increase in the current fares to cope with rising fuel and maintenance costs, obviously these have risen sharply over the last few years I believe an increase to £4 for a local fare and 5p on the yardage would help with this.Also would like to see a review of the charges for waiting time as I don’t believe these sufficiently cover operating costs when 50% of the charge only covers the minimum wage at present. I have no doubt that whatever increase is applied, public opinion will not be positive! However I do know that those fares simply have to rise in order for taxi companies to survive due to the massive - almost daily - increasing costs of fuel, repairs and insurances. (I run two vehicles, my annual insurance premium alone has just increased by 10% even though both vehicles have generated another additional years NCD!). The Government grants during the covid pandemic were a godsend, aiding many smaller operators like myself to scrape through, but we now face the new challenge of fuelling our vehicles. This coupled with the ever-increasing energy costs in general - and another hard electricity rise to come in the autumn - will see many operators struggling between fuelling the vehicles to earn an income and paying household bills. Not to mention the knock-on road-safety implications for many drivers who will be forced to work extremely long hours to put food on the table! The taxi trade in general is also seeing very low numbers of "new blood" entering the trade - this is a direct result of low incomes, high operating costs and extremely long working hours. The reality of the situation is that a 10% increase of all fares and surcharges would probably still not cover the constantly increasing running costs, however I appreciate that any increase has to be set at a level that the customer will "accept". Whilst the taxi trade news outlets are reporting rises of around 12 to 17% across many other councils within the UK, I feel that any increase over 10% would possibly erode customer trust. I would suggest a tariff 1 first-mile charge of £4, Tariff 2 (7pm - midnight, Mon-Sat) surcharge to remain at £1, Tariff 3 (midnight-7am) surcharge increased to £1.80, and the Public Holidays and Sundays surcharge increased to £1.70. I would suggest that the per-mile rate increases from 30p per 1/10th mile to 32 or 33p. Page 20
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Appendix 3 FARE REVIEW HISTORY June 2021 No change to fares and charges December 2019 No change to fares and charges. June 2018 Increased fares and charges applied. April 2017 No change to fares and charges. August 2015 No change to fares and charges. February 2014 Increased charges were applied August 2012 Increased fares and charges were applied February 2011 Increased fares and charges were applied August 2009 no change to fares and charges but premium rate period extended February 2008 no change to fares and charges August 2006 Increased fares and charges applied November 2004 No change to fares or charges October 2002 Increased fares and charges were applied Note - The requirement for a Fare review is at least every 18 months Page 21
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Fuel price report (June 2021) Unleaded prices have risen from 128.4 p/litre last month to 130.5 p/litre now. Diesel prices have gone up from 130.8 p/litre to 133.0 p/litre. The price difference between diesel and unleaded has grown to 2.5 p/litre. London has recorded the highest price for unleaded at 131.9 p/litre. Northern Ireland has recorded the lowest price for unleaded at 126.7 p/litre. The South East has recorded the highest diesel price at 134.1 p/litre. Northern Ireland has the cheapest diesel at 129.0 p/litre. Supermarket prices for unleaded now average 126.9 p/litre. The gap between supermarket prices and the UK average for unleaded has decreased to 3.6 p/litre. Garages and Supermarkets Unleaded 95 Octane (pence) Diesel (pence) Super Unleaded (pence) LPG (pence) litres (gallons) litres (gallons) litres (gallons) litres Northern Ireland 126.7 576.0 129.0 586.4 130.4 592.8 64.9 Scotland 130.4 592.8 132.9 604.2 141.2 641.9 0.0 Wales 129.5 588.7 132.1 600.5 139.8 635.5 72.9 North East 129.4 588.3 131.8 599.2 139.7 635.1 0.0 North West 130.2 591.9 132.6 602.8 141.9 645.1 57.7 Yorkshire & Humberside 129.6 589.2 132.5 602.4 139.6 634.6 66.8 West Midlands 130.3 592.4 132.9 604.2 141.9 645.1 74.9 East Midlands 130.0 591.0 132.7 603.3 141.6 643.7 73.9 Essex and East Anglia 130.8 594.6 133.6 607.4 141.3 642.4 69.7 London 131.9 599.6 133.9 608.7 143.3 651.5 0.0 South East 131.6 598.3 134.1 609.6 142.6 648.3 57.7 South West 130.9 595.1 133.4 606.4 143.1 650.5 0.0 UK AVERAGE 130.5 593.3 133.0 604.6 141.8 644.6 68.9 Per cent taken as Tax 61.1 60.2 57.5 Supermarkets Unleaded 95 Octane Diesel Super unleaded LPG Litres (gallons) litres (gallons) litres (gallons) litres SUPERMARKET AVERAGE 126.9 576.9 129.4 588.3 135.1 614.2 57.8 Per cent taken as Tax 62.3 61.5 59.6 The AA’s fuel price report uses data sourced from Experian Catalist (www.catalist.com) They’re an average of mid-month prices from the respective regions. Page 23
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Fuel price report (June 2021) EUROPE AND THE USA Sources of overseas price comparisons: European prices • ec.europa weekly oil bulletins (14 June 2021) • TCS Information Services (19 June 2021) USA prices • Energy Information Administration, US Dept. of Energy (14 June 2021) Local Currency per litre UK pence per litre Country Currency Unleaded Diesel Unleaded Diesel Austria Euro 1.25 1.20 107.41 103.12 Belgium Euro 1.46 1.46 125.26 124.96 Czech Republic Czech Koruna 32.34 30.40 108.32 101.82 Denmark Danish Krone 12.47 10.34 143.68 119.14 Finland Euro 1.63 1.47 139.30 126.01 France Euro 1.53 1.41 131.27 120.76 Germany Euro 1.56 1.36 133.38 116.66 Greece Euro 1.62 1.34 138.69 115.04 Netherlands Euro 1.79 1.44 153.01 123.18 Hungary Forint 428.62 432.70 104.35 105.35 Ireland Euro 1.48 1.38 127.05 118.59 Italy Euro 1.61 1.46 137.62 125.56 Luxembourg Euro 1.30 1.20 111.52 102.69 Estonia Euro 1.42 1.21 121.29 103.55 Norway Norwegian Krone 16.57 15.37 139.46 129.36 Latvia Euro 1.31 1.21 111.99 103.38 Lithuania Euro 1.25 1.13 107.07 96.71 Poland Zloty 5.34 5.26 101.43 99.91 Slovakia Euro 1.36 1.21 116.24 103.29 Slovenia Euro 1.20 1.25 102.62 106.86 Portugal Euro 1.62 1.42 138.87 121.72 Spain Euro 1.37 1.23 117.22 105.58 Sweden Swedish Krona 16.09 16.39 136.02 138.56 Switzerland Swiss Francs 1.68 1.77 131.60 138.65 United States of America US Dollars 0.81 0.89 58.50 64.28 Malta Euro 1.34 1.21 114.86 103.72 Bulgaria Leva 2.04 2.01 89.38 88.07 Cyprus Euro 1.24 1.26 106.31 107.82 Romania New Leu 5.63 5.51 97.93 95.85 Page 24
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Fuel price report (June 2022) Unleaded prices have risen from 166.9 p/litre last month to 188.8 p/litre now. Diesel prices have increased from 180.4 p/litre to 196.4 p/litre. The price difference between diesel and unleaded has shrunk to 7.6 p/litre. The South East has recorded the highest price for unleaded at 189.3 p/litre. The North East has recorded the lowest price for unleaded at 187.6 p/litre. London has recorded the highest diesel price at 197.3 p/litre. Northern Ireland has the cheapest diesel at 194.1 p/litre. Supermarket prices for unleaded now average 185.9 p/litre. The gap between supermarket prices and the UK average for unleaded has shrunk to 2.9 p/litre. Garages and Supermarkets Unleaded 95 Octane (pence) Diesel (pence) Super Unleaded (pence) LPG (pence) litres (gallons) litres (gallons) litres (gallons) litres Northern Ireland 189.0 859.2 194.1 882.4 196.9 895.1 0.0 Scotland 189.1 859.7 196.7 894.2 199.8 908.3 0.0 Wales 188.6 857.4 196.7 894.2 198.8 903.8 0.0 North East 187.6 852.8 195.6 889.2 198.5 902.4 99.9 North West 188.4 856.5 196.1 891.5 199.6 907.4 79.7 Yorkshire & Humberside 188.2 855.6 195.7 889.7 199.3 906.0 77.5 West Midlands 188.8 858.3 196.4 892.9 201.3 915.1 84.9 East Midlands 188.6 857.4 195.8 890.1 201.1 914.2 0.0 Essex and East Anglia 188.8 858.3 196.5 893.3 199.5 906.9 89.8 London 188.6 857.4 197.3 896.9 200.8 912.9 0.0 South East 189.3 860.6 197.2 896.5 201.3 915.1 76.2 South West 189.1 859.7 196.5 893.3 199.9 908.8 99.9 UK AVERAGE 188.8 858.3 196.4 892.9 200.1 909.7 86.5 Per cent taken as Tax 44.7 43.6 43.1 Supermarkets Unleaded 95 Octane Diesel Super unleaded LPG Litres (gallons) litres (gallons) litres (gallons) litres SUPERMARKET AVERAGE 185.9 845.1 193.5 879.7 194.2 882.9 78.3 Per cent taken as Tax 45.2 44.0 43.9 The AA’s fuel price report uses data sourced from Experian Catalist (www.catalist.com) They’re an average of mid-month prices from the respective regions. Page 25
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Fuel price report (June 2022) EUROPE AND THE USA Sources of overseas price comparisons: European prices • ec.europa weekly oil bulletins (20 June 2022) • TCS Information Services (1 July 2022) USA prices • Energy Information Administration, US Dept. of Energy (20 June 2022) Local Currency per litre UK pence per litre Country Currency Unleaded Diesel Unleaded Diesel Austria Euro 2.09 2.07 170.50 168.87 Belgium Euro 2.11 2.17 172.29 177.40 Czech Republic Czech Koruna 47.83 47.83 164.97 164.97 Denmark Danish Krone 18.12 17.19 208.13 197.45 Finland Euro 2.55 2.45 207.72 200.05 France Euro 2.13 2.13 173.77 174.22 Germany Euro 1.97 2.06 161.12 168.22 Greece Euro 2.42 2.11 197.85 172.46 Netherlands Euro 2.36 2.19 192.30 178.50 Hungary Forint 488.07 584.86 101.30 121.39 Ireland Euro 2.17 2.11 177.03 172.14 Italy Euro 2.06 2.01 168.42 163.73 Luxembourg Euro 1.94 2.00 158.59 162.91 Estonia Euro 2.17 1.95 177.03 159.08 Norway Norwegian Krone 25.25 24.83 16.92 205.55 Latvia Euro 2.10 2.07 171.70 169.12 Lithuania Euro 2.07 2.01 168.57 163.97 Poland Zloty 7.92 7.87 141.50 140.61 Slovakia Euro 1.91 1.86 156.14 152.14 Slovenia Euro 1.56 1.67 127.33 136.14 Portugal Euro 2.12 2.08 173.12 169.77 Spain Euro 2.14 2.08 174.80 169.49 Sweden Swedish Krona 22.99 26.89 183.05 214.11 Switzerland Swiss Francs 2.28 2.40 197.27 207.66 United States of America US Dollars 1.31 1.46 109.97 122.56 Malta Euro 1.34 1.21 109.37 98.76 Bulgaria Leva 3.31 3.41 144.69 149.06 Cyprus Euro 1.80 1.88 146.98 153.42 Romania New Leu 8.56 9.09 148.05 157.21 Page 26
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THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL REVIEW OF TAXI FARES In accordance with the requirements of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, the Highland Council has reviewed the maximum level of charges for the hire of Taxis or Private Hire Cars fitted with Taxi Meters. With effect from 18 October 2021, the maximum fares will be as follows:- Tariff 1: Applies to vehicles carrying up to 4 passengers, except when a higher tariff applies. • For the first 785 yards or part; or £3.00 The initial period of waiting time of 119 seconds; or A combination of time and distance as above • For each additional 98 yards or part; or .10p Each additional period of waiting time of 14 seconds; or A combination of additional time and distance as above General effect – the price of a hire £4.00 for the first mile plus £1.80 per mile thereafter plus extras* Tariff 2: Applies to vehicles carrying up to 4 passengers on Good Friday, Easter Monday or May Day and, except when a higher tariff applies, between 9.00pm and 7.00am on any day and all day on Saturday and Sunday. When 5 or more passengers are being carried, it also applies at any time of any day or night, except where a higher tariff applies. • For the first 560 yards or part; or £ 3.30 The initial period of waiting time of 119 seconds; or A combination of time and distance as above • For each additional 78 yards or part; or .10p Each additional period of waiting time of 14 seconds; or A combination of additional time and distance as above General effect – the price of a hire £4.90 for the first mile plus £2.30 per mile thereafter plus extras* Tariff 3: Applies between 6am and midnight on both Boxing Day and 2nd January. When 5 or more passengers are being carried, and except where Tariff 5 applies, it also applies between 9.00pm and 7.00am, all day on Saturday and Sunday and on Good Friday, Easter Monday and May Day. • For the first 444 yards or part £ 3.90 The initial period of waiting time of 119 seconds; or A combination of time and distance as above • For each additional 65 yards or part .10p Each additional period of waiting time of 14 seconds; or A combination of additional time and distance as above General effect – the price of a hire £6.00 for the first mile plus £2.70 per mile thereafter plus extras* Page 27
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Tariff 4: Applies to vehicles carrying up to 4 passengers at any time between 6.00pm on Christmas Eve and 6.00am on Boxing Day and between 6.00pm on New Year’s Eve and 6.00am on 2 January. • For the first 444 yards or part; or £3.90 The initial period of waiting time of 119 seconds; or A combination of time and distance as above • For each additional 49 yards or part, or .10p Each additional period of waiting time of 14 seconds; or A combination of additional time and distance as above General effect – the price of a hire: £6.60 for the first mile plus £3.60 per mile thereafter plus extras* Tariff 5: Applies to vehicles carrying 5 or more passengers at any time between 6.00pm on Christmas Eve and 6.00am on Boxing Day and between 6.00pm on New Year’s Eve and 6.00am on 2 January. • For the first 444 yards or part; or £3.90 The initial period of waiting time of 119 seconds; or A combination of time and distance as above • For each additional 39 yards or part, or .10p Each additional period of waiting time of 14 seconds; or A combination of additional time and distance as above General effect – the price of a hire: £7.30 for the first mile plus £4.50 per mile thereafter plus extras* *Extra Charges • Booking ahead e.g. by telephone £1.00 • Any bridge tolls or ferry charges, where applicable. • Any airport car parking charges (Only chargeable on production of a receipt to the hirer) In addition, a supplementary booking charge may be applied to compensate for the cost of the outward journey for hires which commence 3 miles or more away from the taxi or taxi base (whichever is the nearer). The maximum charge shall be the actual cost at the tariff which applies at the time of travelling between the starting location of the taxi or the location of the taxi base (as the case may be) and the pick- up point or drop-off point, whichever is the closer to the taxi or taxi base. This booking charge is in addition to the fare chargeable at the appropriate tariff for the journey from the pick-up point to the drop- off point. This charge may only be demanded if the customer is informed of the amount of the charge at the time of booking. When a taxi (or a private hire car fitted with a taxi meter) is called but not used, a charge shall be allowed as if it had been occupied from the time it left the stance or garage. Soiling Charge – maximum of £120.00 payable by an offending passenger, where a vehicle requires to be removed from service for cleaning in order for it to be restored to a usable state and condition. Page 28
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Fare Scale (From 1st September) Standard 10 pm to 6 am 1. Xmas/New Year 2. The FIRST 880 YARDS or part thereof £2.70 £3.70 £4.00 Each additional 1/11th part of a mile or part thereof £0.20 £0.20 £0.30 Waiting: 10 pence per 10 seconds 10 seconds 10 seconds 1. The late-night scale applies Mondays – Thursdays and also applies at weekends between 1800 on Fridays until 0600 on Mondays 2. The late-night scale applies to Public Holidays also from 0600 to 2200. Public Holidays are defined as 3 January, Good Friday, and May Day Public Holiday. 3. The Festive Season tariff applies to each hiring between 1800 Hrs 24 December until 0600 Hrs 27 December, and between 1800 Hrs 31 December until 0600 Hrs 3 January. 4. In vehicles so licensed carrying more than four passengers, a surcharge of 50% of the above fares may be charged. Booking Fee - £0.50 Airport Booking Fee – Taxi Drivers may add any current charge incurred at any Airport when either dropping off or picking up passengers. Drivers must make passengers aware in advance that extra charges may be added to the fare. Booking fees to be shown on the meter NOTE Passengers are carried on the understanding that the Driver may charge a passenger creating an unacceptable mess in the Taxi a maximum of £100 Page 29
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The maximum charges for taxis and private hire cars fitted with taxi meters are detailed below. Basic tariff Distance Fare First 950 yards £2.60 For every additional 180.5 yards (Time locked in meter) £0.20 Extras: waiting and surcharges Surcharge Fare (1) For each hiring between 10pm on Mondays to Thursdays inclusive and 8am the following day (Time Locked in Meter) £1.00 Page 31
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(2) For each hiring between 10pm on Friday and 8am on the following Monday (Time Locked in Meter) £1.00 (3) For each hiring between 2am and 5am on Saturday and Sunday mornings (Time Locked in Meter) £2.00 (4) For each hiring pre-booked £1.00 (5) For each hiring on the Spring, May Day, Midsummer and Autumn holidays £1.00 (6) For each hiring between 10pm on 24 December and 5am on 27 December and between 10pm on 31 December and 5am on 3 January (Time Locked in Meter) Add 50% to basic tariff (7) Airport Fees – Any current charge levied by Aberdeen International Airport in relation to dropping off or picking up passengers. (Passengers must be made aware that additional charges may be incurred in advance) (8) For each hiring dropping off passengers at the inner forecourt of the Airport (Non- airport zoned taxis only) £2.00 (9) For each hiring commencing at Aberdeen Railway Station £0.50 (10) A charge per incident of fouling a taxi £50.00 (11) Where more than four passengers carried Add 50% to basic tariff plus surcharges (excluding surcharges 4,7, 8 and 9) Page 32
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Waiting A sum calculated at the rate of £23.00 per hour. Surcharges Surcharges 1 to 6 and 9 to 11 apply to all taxis and private hire cars fitted with a meter. Surcharge 7 applies only to hires commencing at the airport for taxis zoned to operate there. Explanatory notes 1. The Council is required to set a maximum amount that can be charged for journeys in Taxis and Private Hire Cars fitted with Taximeters which it licences. Fares are reviewed at regular intervals to take into account of the operational costs of the vehicle and the driver's time, to allow the operator to make a reasonable return and to encourage the operation of taxis. Comparisons are made with taxi fares in other areas of the UK. There is opportunity for the public and trade to participate in the setting on the levels of fares proposed and taxi operators have the right to appeal against the Tariff set down by the Council before it comes into operation. 2. Please note that a taxi driver is not required to take you on a journey ending outside the city boundary. Typical Destinations in the City – Aberdeen Airport, Bridge of Don, Cove, Dyce, Kingswells and Peterculter. Outwith the City – Banchory, Blackburn, Ellon, Kemnay, Kintore, Inverurie, Oldmeldrum, Portlethen, Stonehaven and Westhill. If the driver does agree to take you outwith the city, these maximum fares do not apply and it is up to you to reach agreement with the driver as to the fare. You should do this before you start. 3. If you have booked a taxi to arrive at a particular time and keep it waiting, the driver can start the meter running once he has made his presence known to you and you can be charged at the maximum Waiting Time Rate shown on the Tariff. 4. The taximeter contains an electronic clock and calendar and calculates the correct fare based on the date, time of day and distance travelled. If the vehicle's speed falls below a predetermined speed, the taximeter will automatically switch over from calculating the fare based on the distance travelled to a calculation based on the time spent in the vehicle. You will be able to see the fare mounting up on the taxi meter as the vehicle goes along. 5. The driver is required to take you to your destination by the shortest practicable route. 6. The maximum fare you are required to pay is the sum calculated in accordance with the Tariff overleaf. Page 33
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7. Please note that - (1) The fare payable may differ for the same journey on different days if the taxi has been held up in traffic and (2) a very short journey may be relatively expensive, due to the way the meter works. The fare will also vary depending on whether the trip was during the evening, early Saturday or Sunday morning or during certain public holidays. 8. If you are asked to pay VAT on the fare, please ask for a proper VAT receipt. 9. It is up to you to decide whether you wish to give the driver a tip. 10. It is a criminal offence for you to take a taxi journey without having the money to pay for it. Page 34
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Appendix 8 Current Rates 2022 These hourly wage rates are for the National Living Wage (for those aged 23 and over) and the National Minimum Wage (for those of at least school leaving age). The rate is reviewed annually on 1 April. Date 23 and over 21 to 22 18 to 20 Under 18 Apprentice From 1 April 2022 £9.50 £9.18 £6.83 £4.81 £4.81 Page 35
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