There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to a review by officers of the Council’s vehicle specifications for taxis nad private hire cars and seeking approval of proposed revised specifications for these vehicles for the purpose of consultation. The report also sought the Board’s approval to consult on a proposal to increase the current number of passengers able to be carried in suitable wheelchair accessible taxis and private hire cars, from seven to eight.

The report set out the background and current position for the Council as licensing authority in relation to it being satisfied that a taxi or private hire car to be licensed was suitable in terms of type, size and design for use as a taxi or private hire car and was safe for that use.

The Council as licensing authority was therefore entitled to determine the suitability of vehicles for use as a taxi or private hire car and to develop a policy in this regard.

The report advised that the Council’s existing standards for taxi and private hire cars were agreed in 1998 on the basis that they would fully take effect in 2002, to include the requirements in relation to wheelchair accessibility, particularly in relation to taxis. The requirement for wheelchair accessibility in respect of taxis was the subject of legal challenge and as such the policy was not fully implemented until 2010. The Council’s current requirements were contained in condition 22 of the Council’s standard conditions for taxis and condition 1 of the standard conditions for private hire cars and were detailed in the report.

The report indicated that these conditions had not  been substantially reviewed by the Board since 2002 except in that (i) the upper age limit (previously five years) applicable to private hire cars was extended to seven years by the Board in 2012, and (ii) the previous requirement for a minimum engine capacity (1600cc)  was removed by the Council on 27 September 2017, when it was also agreed that officers would undertake a comprehensive review of licensing conditions reflecting developments in electric vehicle technology.

The report intimated that on 27 June 2019, the Council agreed to declare a climate emergency, to pledge to work proactively to make Renfrewshire carbon neutral by 2030 and to continue to work with partners and community groups to deliver this goal through all relevant strategies and plans. In addition, there had been a number of developments in the construction of vehicles for use in the taxi and private hire car trades generally. Changes to the design of vehicles together with the removal of the minimum engine size - to recognise the availability of electric and hybrid vehicles and vehicles with more efficient engines – had resulted in relatively small vehicles being licensed.

The report stated that given the above, it was the view of officers that the Council’s existing regulatory standards required to be reviewed in terms of the vehicles which may be licensed as taxis and private hire cars and the age of these vehicles. Sections 4 and 5 of the report detailed further considerations in relation to taxis and private hire cars respectively. Appendices 1 to 3 of the report detailed the proposed new taxi licence condition; the proposed new private hire car licence condition; and the consultation questions respectively.

DECIDED: 

(a) That the terms of the proposed revised condition in relation to taxi licences, detailed in Appendix 1, as suitable for the purpose of consultation be approved;

(b) That the terms of the proposed revised condition in relation to private hire car licences, detailed in Appendix 2, as suitable for the purpose of consultation be approved;

(c) That the consultation questions, detailed in Appendix 3 to the report, be approved;

(d) That consultation on a proposal that wheelchair accessible MPVs to be licensed as taxis or private hire cars, which were suitable for the carriage of eight passengers, may be licensed to carry a maximum of eight passengers, be approved; and





(e) That officers be instructed to undertake a public consultation on the proposed conditions at Appendices 1 and 2, and the questions at Appendix 3, to include all taxi and private hire car licence holders in Renfrewshire, representatives of those licence holders, Renfrewshire Access Panel, relevant Council Services and such other persons or groups as officers considered appropriate; and to report the responses to the consultation to the Board thereafter.

Under reference to item 9(iii) of the Minute of the meeting of this Board held on 6 June 2019, the Board resumed consideration of the undernoted application for registration in the Register of Private Landlords. The applicant had been asked to appear personally for the second time together with the Directors of Communities, Housing & Planning Services, and Children’s Services, Renfrewshire Council: -

James Campbell

There was no appearance by or on behalf of Mr Campbell. The Convener proposed that the application be considered in Mr Campbell’s absence and this was agreed unanimously. B Kettle, Public Health Enforcement Officer on behalf of the Director of Communities, Housing & Planning Services, who had submitted a referral, and N Kirkwood, Social Worker on behalf of the Director of Children’s Services who had submitted a statement, were invited into the meeting.

After consideration of all matters before the Board, the Convener proposed that the application be refused.  This was agreed unanimously.

DECIDED: That the application be refused.